Italian air navigation services provider, ENAV, coordinated the Italian cluster of the SESAR Joint Undertaking U-ELCOME project in a U-space demonstration at Castel Campagnano this week.
The team demonstrated two crucial U-space use cases, the first being cross-border coordination between U-space volumes. For this demonstration, the airspace was split into two U-space volumes, operated by D-Flight and ITG Technology Center (Spain), interconnected through D-Flight’s Common Information Service Provider (CISP). This enabled real-time interoperability between service providers. Operations by TopView S.r.l. and Telespazio supported missions for powerline inspection, agricultural surveys, and environmental monitoring.
A second round of flights simulated a real-time emergency scenario, with an ultralight aircraft requesting entry into the U-space airspace. “Using e-conspicuity tools and Dynamic Airspace Reconfiguration, the CISP ensured seamless coordination with UAS operators, prioritising safety and situational awareness,” ENAV U-Sspace researcher Giovanni Riccardi said.
Both demonstrations were successful. Riccardi said that as well as advancing the technical validation of U-space services, the demonstrations also involved environmental impact assessment and human performance analysis, for a holistic approach to future airspace integration.
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Image: Giovanni Riccardi, ENAV
