There are as many challenges as opportunities. The integration of Advanced Air Mobility's (AMM) operations closed its first day on Tuesday at the Civil UAV´s Initiative Theatre, with the participation of representing experts from the UTM and ATM sectors in CANSO, NASA, EASA, DGAC/DSNA, NTT Data, and Volocopter.
CANSO’s Eduardo García opened the panel about advanced air mobility integration. “After getting to know our shared vision of the sky in 2045, there is an upcoming question: how do we make this vision a reality?”
The ensuing round table identified as many challenges as opportunities and left all the speakers from both the ATM and UTM sectors with a common conclusion: aerial taxis will be flying by 2024 with a pilot, but the panelists did not trust on them doing it autonomously until achieving the goals the organisations set forth of 2045 (see more information on these goals LINK TO RAFT 11 on Wednesday raft).
NASA Aeronautics Research Institute Executive Director Dr. Parimal Kopardekar ensured panelists that the “airspace system should be ready when vehicles are ready.”
“Flexibility where possible,” Dr. Kopardekar continued. “Structure where necessary.”
Moreover, Dr. Kopardekar recognised that, “UTM experience has taught us that we can change the paradigm and enable new entrants without overloading the ATM system.”
EASA Drone Programme Manager María Algar explained that in the European Air Safety Agency, they are working on the necessary regulation for the development of a U-Space in areas such as aerial operations, vertiports, operating licenses, and standards and requirements. And they do it hand in hand with the main actors of the UTM and ATM industries, as well as the civil and military administrations. “We are excited about the times to come and we will do everything possible to continue working together,” she added.
Antoine Martin, director of the program for new mobility at the French air navigation service provider, DSNA, pointed out that a key enabler [towards integration of all kinds of air traffic] is definitely collaboration of all involved players around practical projects.” He emphasised the need of testing and experiments but recognised the opportunity represented by mobility solutions for a much more innovative future.
Maurizio Trezza, from Everis Aerospace and Defense, defined the path for the urban mobility of our future: more flight autonomy and development of complete autonomous flying, flexibility in the technology vendors for the U-Space, and security.
“The integration of ATM in the U-Space can be an excellent opportunity for an immediate development of urban aerial mobility,” he pointed out.
Lastly, Jörn Jäger, responsible for the area of integration at UTM & ATM at Volocopter, identified challenges in reaching maximum autonomy and providomg the infrastructure to the cities so drones can land and take off from numerous points. He also noted that it’s necessary to enact new regulation and standards, reenvision airspace, and continuously evolve ATM, the introduction of UTM, communication, navigation, surveillance infrastructure, and economic drivers to make the sector economically viable, among other aspects.
“It is great to see how new airspace users and urban air mobility are embraced by the World ATM Congress,” said Jäger. “I am delighted to have represented Volocopter within this panel of estimated experts and discuss our views for the future of airspace management.”