How far has urban air mobility truly progressed and what are the critical gaps preventing scalable BVLOS drone operations and U-space deployment?

Such answers were found during the first discussion panel of Aerial Cities 2025, Navigating Urban Skies and Aerial Cities: Emerging Trends and Evolutions, which was hosted in Dublin from 11 to 12 November. 

The conference’s kick-off panel was made up of five speakers, including: 

The session explored the latest opportunities and challenges in urban environments as the diverse set of panellists offered insights from their own cities, regions, and Civil Aviation Authorities (CAAs). They highlighted significant developments and hurdles, providing a clear overview of how aerial mobility is evolving across the continent.

The air risk roadblock in European drone regulation

Representing the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), Drone Project Manager Natale Di Rubbo argued that while the ground risk component of Europe’s SORA methodology is “now considered solved,” the air risk question is still holding back large-scale operations.

“We are still waiting on having a detect and avoid system that is reliable enough,” Natale explained. 

DAA solutions must achieve aviation-grade reliability, work across various environments, and be compact enough for practical use on lightweight drones. Nevertheless, this has been proven to be extremely challenging. The EASA is therefore looking towards a layered approach. 

While U-Space is the long-term answer, he was clear that Europe should not assume or expect blanket deployment. Instead, the agency is gathering best practices from pioneering regions (including Dublin) to create guidelines that help states authorise localised or small-scale BVLOS drone operations while wider deployment evolves. 

This iterative approach is designed to address another major concern: investment. The agency is eager to show investors that there is a market, recognising that operational visibility and early commercial success stories are essential for attracting capital. Without it, U-Space service providers will struggle to develop viable business models.

“We know there is huge economic potential… now we need to prove it can function safely and sustainably,” he added.

Throughout Natale’s input, it was clear that the EASA’s stance is expanding. Traditionally focused solely on safety, the agency is increasingly focused on creating practical enablers for the drone sector. This includes developing updated noise assessment methodologies, offering guidance for urban landing and take-off sites while introducing tools such as the digital eSORA module to streamline regulatory submissions.

“Our goal is to move regulation from being seen as a barrier to being recognised as an enabler,” he said.

The need for interim solutions in scaling BVLOS drone operations

The conversation then moved from the continental perspective to a national one with Enda Walsh outlining Ireland’s position in this fast-paced landscape. 

Having worked in the industry for more than a decade and now serving as the Irish Aviation Authority’s (IAA) Manager of the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), he provides a valuable perspective on the remarkable growth of Ireland’s drone sector in recent years. 

 “The industry is very healthy and they want to grow rapidly,” he assured the audience. 

But he was equally frank about the dual challenge now facing national authorities - enabling BVLOS drone operations at scale while simultaneously addressing societal acceptance.

A landmark milestone in Ireland’s approach has been the publication of the country’s first National Policy Framework for UAS and AAM. Enda described the framework as ‘crucial’ and the first time Ireland has brought together all relevant actors - from planning authorities and emergency services to regulators and technology developers - under a single strategic direction.

“For the first time, everyone is working from the same playbook,” Enda said.

This common framework now gives the nation the mandate and structure to develop U-Space (while addressing noise and privacy concerns), support innovation funding and integrate drone operations into city planning processes. 

Though perhaps most importantly, he acknowledged that Ireland cannot simply wait for perfect solutions. The industry is moving too quickly, and the demand for BVLOS drone operations in deliveries, inspections and public services is at a sky-rocketing level. 

Thus, the need for interim solutions is ever important. These include transponder mandatory zones, ADSLite developments, and SORA-based approvals tailored to specific operational contexts.

This willingness to accept incremental progress reflects a key part of Ireland’s philosophy - scaling is not a binary state but a continuum. Enda confirmed that the IAA is open to innovative proposals from operators. While some mitigations may not be fully scalable, they enable extended operations today and generate the data needed for future U-Space deployments. 

 “We can’t let perfection be the enemy of progress,” he emphasised.

On public acceptance, he issued a reminder that even if much drone activity goes unnoticed, visible operations such as consumer deliveries attract attention and shape perceptions. Ensuring that residents feel informed and consulted is now central to Ireland’s national strategy.

“If we don’t bring communities with us, operations simply won’t scale,” he said.

Public embracement and multi-layer coordination in drone enabled- cities

Speaking for Dublin City Council, Thomas Curran highlighted that one of the city’s biggest tasks is demonstrating to residents that drone activity is not new and not limited to commercial delivery trials. He stressed that commercial delivery trials are only one small part of the picture in Dublin. 

The City Council and Dublin Fire Brigade already operate their own drones across a wide range of essential public services, from mapping and emergency response to environmental monitoring and inspections of critical infrastructure. Thomas emphasised the importance of making these benefits visible to the public and having them embrace Urban Air Mobility. 

Dublin’s authorities have begun expanding its outreach via surveys and public events like the Bray Air show, but they have observed a familiar challenge: how to reach those who do not engage online. 

“How do we talk to them? How do we get their feedback?” he asked, acknowledging that some of the most concerned residents may also be the hardest to reach.

“The loudest voices are not always the most informed and we need to reach beyond them,” he persisted.

Beyond public engagement, he raised the structural challenge of coordinating government departments whose policies intersect with aerial mobility. While Dublin works closely with the IAA and Department of Transport, other departments, such as Justice, Environment, and Housing, also play a role, particularly around enforcement and planning. Ensuring these bodies develop aligned approaches will be essential for enabling routine operations in dense urban areas.

“Cross-department alignment isn’t a nice-to-have - it’s essential,” Thomas noted.

Despite these challenges, the overall tone from Dublin was proactive and positive. The Council sees drones as a long-term asset for the city and made it clear that the city’s ambition is growing, not shrinking.

Public attitudes and grassroots energy in driving UAM adoption

The conversation then flowed naturally to Gdańsk, a Polish city that has been actively engaged in preparing for sustainable urban air mobility. Deputy Manager of the Active Mobility Unit at the Municipal Transport Authority Magdalena Szymańska shared what Gdańsk has learned from three years of resident surveys, local pilot projects and interdepartmental collaboration. She echoed Dublin’s perspective that public understanding is not automatic and must be built deliberately. 

She said, “In order for them to embrace the technology, we need to educate them. Make them aware.”

Gdańsk’s city-wide surveys revealed encouraging acceptance levels but also important sensitivities, particularly around privacy, misuse and national security. Interestingly, geopolitical events had direct impacts. 

After the invasion of Russian drones into Polish airspace in September this year, communities became ‘more on edge’, according to Magdalena. Locals noted concerns over breaches of privacy, misuse of drones for criminal activity or a threat to national safety. This explicitly demonstrates how external events can influence local perceptions even in cities far from direct conflict.

“Public sentiment can shift overnight and we need to be prepared for that,” she added.

Another striking element was the level of enthusiasm within city departments themselves - as Magdalena explained, numerous municipal employees were already exploring drone use cases or held drone pilot licences, from urban planners to greenspace managers.  Several departments proposed their own ideas, from tree stand monitoring and document transport to supporting police search activities.

More unexpectedly, the city discovered that a local vocational school had already established a programme training drone mechanics and operators. Bringing these organisations into the city’s network has strengthened Gdańsk’s internal capacity and helped shape its long-term action plan.

“Sometimes the expertise is already there; you just need to find it,” she remarked.

Like Dublin, Gdańsk now sees drone readiness as a cross-departmental responsibility. The municipality has trained 20 staff members, established a steering committee mandated by the mayor and is now developing detailed plans for how drones can support emergency services and public safety.

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