Viasat, Thales,, Dimetor, TTP plc and the European Space Agency (ESA), have completed successful flight trials at the UK’s Cranfield University using the National Flying Laboratory Centre’s Bulldog light aircraft, as part of the Iris RPAS programme, according to the consortium partners.
“The initiative is contributing to a coordinated effort to build real-world evidence around trusted, resilient connectivity for BVLOS uncrewed aircraft operations,” says a press release.
The trial forms part of the wider Iris airspace modernization programme, funded by ESA and industry partners, which is focused on enabling the safe integration of uncrewed aircraft into non‑segregated airspace through trusted communications. “Iris brings together partners from across satellite communications, terrestrial networks, surveillance, airspace management, and secure aviation systems to understand how connectivity behaves under representative operational conditions. The ongoing flight trials are explicitly evidence‑building in nature. They are designed to observe how different connectivity elements can work together within a multi‑link framework, reflecting the environmental and operational complexity expected as BVLOS activity scales.”
“As BVLOS operations scale, it is increasingly recognized that extremely reliable command-and-control links are a critical prerequisite for meeting their high operational and safety requirements. ESA Iris RPAS trials explore how multi‑link connectivity models can support continuity, integrity, availability and trust, which are essential to maintaining safe command‑and‑control links and situational awareness in shared airspace.
“Thales, as system integrator for Iris, is coordinating the trials to support a structured, safety‑led approach to connectivity evolution. Partners including Viasat, TTP plc, Dimetor and Cranfield University contribute complementary capabilities spanning satellite communications, satcom terminals (TTP) and flight planning support tools (Dimetor), terrestrial networks, and surveillance and airspace intelligence, helping to build a holistic view of trusted connectivity for future operations.”
According to Davide Tomassini, Iris Project Implementation Manager at the European Space Agency:“Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLoS) operations represent most of the future market value potential in the RPAS domain and they are highly regulated. The Satcom Iris service and infrastructure, certified and operationally used for Air Traffic Management in commercial aviation, also plays a key role in meeting the stringent level of safety and security performances required by the regulators. BVLoS operations are a critical step towards the future of Urban Air Mobility for the transport of people and goods within cities and nearby regions.”
“For BVLOS uncrewed operations, safety depends on having a command‑and‑control link that can be trusted wherever the aircraft is operating,” said Joel Klooster, SVP Aircraft Operations and Safety at Viasat. “Satellite communications play a critical role in providing that assurance, particularly beyond the reach of terrestrial networks. Through Iris RPAS, we are working with our partners to build evidence around how satcom can contribute to resilient, safety‑oriented multi‑link architectures that support the next phase of uncrewed aviation.”
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