Everything U-space PART 2

If drones reach their maximum potential, then the flying rules for airspace users, the way airspace and services are shaped, have to adapt to integrate these new users, mainly when operated in BVLOS. Up to now, the most frequent airspace users were passenger and cargo transport aircraft, general aviation planes, and we can add air sports enthusiasts like model aircraft, paragliders, and balloon pilots. Currently, we need to open skies and minds for drones and new booming technologies. Marrying innovation to a culture of safety to integrate everyone can be highly demanding as safety is paramount in the airspace, especially when several new entities have a little aviation background. And this is when the European UTM regulatory framework comes with help as well as UTM service providers with their mind-blowing solutions.

From the U-Space blueprint of 2017 to an EU regulatory package

The European Aviation Safety Agency’s Committee for the application of common safety rules in civil aviation approved the above EU U-Space regulatory package on 24 February 2021.  It became the primary basis for drones and services in the current and future urban air mobility. This set of rules made it possible to scale up drone operations in low-level airspace and urban areas and encouraged drone businesses to create new opportunities. The regulatory package has entered into force on May 8, 2021, and will become applicable as of 26 January 2023.

New drone law introduced services for drone operators, allowing them for more sophisticated and longer-distance operations, especially in congested, low-level airspace, even beyond visual line of sight. The U-space package introduced and unified the conditions for human-crewed and uncrewed aircraft to operate safely, prevent collisions, and mitigate the ground risk of drone traffic.

The regulation, of course, referred to the two earlier EU delegated and implementing regulations on drones which have established the detailed safety provisions for operations of UAS and minimum technical requirements for them.

The Commission Implementing Regulation on a regulatory framework for a U-space, which together with two other proposed regulations formed “the package”, defines the roles and the responsibilities of the different stakeholders involved in the drone sector.

According to the package, the European Member States are responsible for designating the geographical zones where the drone operations are taking place with the support of U-space services. The Member States are thus competent to decide to which extent their national airspace should be open or restrictive to the drones’ operations.

The ‘U-space service providers’ (USSP)are referred to as organisations certified by the Member State Competent Authority to assure U-space services. They will have to provide – at least – four mandatory U-space services: geo-awareness, traffic information, flight authorisation, and network identification. EASA is indicated as the certifying authority if one USSP wishes to provide service across Europe.

According to the above legislation, drone operators should have equal access to all U-space service providers in Europe. They will have to establish a contract with one selected, certified USSP and ask for their flight authorisation before the estimated take-off time. They will need to hold a certificate and operate by the regulations of the package. Air Navigation Service Providers will have arrangements with USSPs to ensure adequate coordination and exchange of information.

U-space technology should further allow access for the drones to new volumes of airspace like urban, suburban, rural.

The U-space technology and proposed regulation rely on digitalisation and automation functions (e.g., automatic detection of unauthorised drone flights, sharing of information between the different airspace users, online requests of drone flights authorisations). “The U-space is included in the ‘Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy’, presented in December 2020. We learn how the EU transport system can achieve its green and digital transformation from this strategy.

The Notice of Proposed Amendment No 2021-14 for implementation of U-space in Europe

Recently, EASA prepared the technical specifications (Acceptable Means of Compliance/Guidance Material: AMC/GM) included in this NPA to allow the stakeholders and competent authorities to prepare for the implementation of the regulatory package. “We were working at full speed on acceptable means of compliance and guidance material and started already consultation on the draft,” said Maria Algar Ruiz. AMC/GM covers many points of the regulation, from airspace assessments to different types of services and certification of the U-space service providers (USSPs).  Maria Algar Ruiz announced that there is a plan to organise webinars and training sessions with stakeholders to discuss more demanding parts of the regulation: indeed, a workshop is scheduled for February 15, 2022

• https://www.easa.europa.eu/newsroom-and-events/events/workshop-npa-2021-14-amcgm-support-u-space-regulatory-framework

Participation of all people interested in U-space is recommended. Comments of the NPA 2021-14 are to be sent before March 15, 2022, and you are encouraged to comment. The workshop is positioned to allow getting a good understanding of the issues and at the same time having still time to comment.

This Notice of Proposed Amendment (NPA) aims to maintain a high level of safety for uncrewed and human-crewed aircraft operations in the U-space airspace. This NPA proposes acceptable means of compliance (AMC) and guidance material (GM) to the U-space regulatory package (Regulations (EU) 2021/664, (EU) 2021/665 and (EU) 2021/666).

The Executive Summary of the NPA highlights the necessary means for the implementation of the Regulations mentioned above as regards:

• the concept of U-space airspace and its management by the Member States (MSs) in terms of risk assessment and responsibilities
• the dynamic reconfiguration of the U-space airspace, when applied
• the operational functioning of the common information service and the certification process for both the providers of this service and the U-space service providers (USSPs)
• the technical specifications and related performance requirements for the different U-space services
• the exchange of all data and available information between the participants of the U-space airspace
• the definition of the relevant standard(s) for the connection to the common information service provider(s) to ensure interoperability and uniform implementation across the EU
• detailed procedures and performance requirements for the flight authorisation services
• the acceptable means for human-crewed aircraft to be conspicuous when entering the U-space airspace in uncontrolled airspace
• the expected coordination with local authorities, the security aspects to be covered in specific U-space airspace, the authorities’ oversight program, and any other task related to the management of the U-space airspace under their responsibility

 
This proposal is expected to help maintain safety regarding operations of uncrewed and human-crewed aircraft in the U-space airspace and improve harmonisation among the Member States regarding the provision of U-space services.

For part 3, come back to the DroneTalks page soon. If you find our article useful, share it on your social media channels or leave us a comment. 

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