The Israeli government will fund the setting-up a U-space municipal eco-system as part of the next stage in the Israel National Drone Initiative (INDI), according to Benny Davidor, from the Israeli Civil Aviation Authority, speaking at Amsterdam Drone Week.
INDI has been in operation for the last two years, involving seven municipalities, 18 hospitals and eight demonstrations. Among the lessons learnt from this early work, according to Benny Davidor, are challenges related to GNSS services in built up areas, deconfliction with crewed aviation missions, implementing SORA and the ground infrastructure issues around developing drone take-off landing areas.
The next stage of the programme will see a major expansion of urban drone operations in and around Tel Avivi, expanding the operational range of beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) missions, increasing the size of drones operating in the programme and integrating current types with eVTOL services.
The CAA is also developing new requirement for vertiport landing sites.
Benny Davidor told delegates who would like to see the setting up of an urban U-space area in Tel Aviv within the next year.
