Cranfield University joins EuroDRONE programme

2nd November 2018 - 09:30 GMT | by The Shephard News Team

RSS

Cranfield University has joined the EuroDRONE programme, to test the European Union’s (EU's) readiness to manage a broad range of UAS operations including interaction with manned aviation.

The EuroDRONE programme intends to connect operators, regulators, law enforcement agencies and product developers – and the different systems they use – in a unified environment. It is part of an 18-month UAS demonstration programme to test the implementation of EU initiatives (called U-Space) to ensure safe and secure UAS traffic management in its airspace.

EuroDRONE will test U-space functionalities at an enhanced service level, paving the way for a broad range of UAS operations and related services that are currently restricted. These could include parcel deliveries in dense urban locations, medical emergencies and police interventions, maritime SAR missions and forestry inspections.

The EuroDRONE architecture is made up of cloud software and hardware to be installed on UAS. It is a self-learning system operating in a distributed computing environment and offering multiple levels of redundancy, fail-safe algorithms for conflict prevention/resolution and asset management.

Cranfield is leading work around path planning and clearance procedures, connectivity between airports and UAS, the tracking of UAS to monitor their operations and behaviour, and the assessment and development of appropriate sense and avoid techniques.

EuroDRONE partners include Aslogic, Dronsystems, the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority, Hellenic Post, University of Patras and Romanian Post. The project is being coordinated by the University of Patras in Greece.

Eurodrone