Shannon secures EU funding for unmanned flight tests

A consortium has now been approved to develop a ‘Digital Sky Demonstrator’, for aerial Unmanned Traffic Management systems.

A computer-generated image of a vertiport that is proposed for Shannon.

A European consortium developing new technologies at Shannon for the rapidly-growing drone and unmanned flight sector has been approved for EU funding.

The Future Mobility Campus Ireland (FMCI), located in the Shannon Free Zone, is a research and testing ground where new systems and technologies can be developed that could help further develop new technologies such as drone delivery systems, light-freight, long-distance logistics, and air-taxi operations.

The consortium has now been approved by the EU to develop a ‘Digital Sky Demonstrator’, for aerial Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) systems.

The research project, known as EALU-AER, will see FMCI and its consortium partners conduct engineering work to develop, deploy, and optimise Europe’s unmanned flight ecosystem.

The three-year project involves Irish and European partners including Shannon Group, the Irish Aviation Authority, Collins Aerospace (Ireland and France), Dublin-based Avtrain, and Deepblue in Italy.

The consortium received funding to develop unmanned aviation business opportunities in Ireland, in a collaborative research project that will also support the modernisation of air traffic management in Europe.

The research includes how drone systems will integrate with existing air traffic management systems for conventional aircraft.

It will secure access to airspace for large numbers of drones and electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, resulting in safe, cost-effective, and sustainable transport of freight and people in the future,” said Future Mobility Campus Ireland CEO Russell Vickers.

Across the world, researchers in both the public and private spheres are developing unmanned flight technologies which have a wide variety of possible uses including personal transport, food and product delivery, emergency response, and agriculture. 

However, the technology is still in the early stages of development and the use of unmanned systems needs strong safeguards and safety protocols, particularly in urban areas.

FMCI at Shannon is already partnering with Skyports Ltd and Avtrain to develop a passenger and cargo vertiport using unmanned aircraft.

The consortium has begun working towards launching beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations that will demonstrate the viability of drones.

The long-term goal is the establishment of Ireland’s first air taxi service and routine long-distance drone operations.