COLOGNE, April 6, 2020 - The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has published the first view worldwide on the use and control of drones in an urban environment, balancing the desire to maximise the commercial and convenience benefits of drones against the need to ensure the safety and privacy of citizens and the potential environmental impact on our cities.
The challenge of integrating drones into urban environments is that these areas are already densely used by ground traffic, other types of air traffic - such as commercial airplanes, other civil aviation and police or hospital helicopter services - and also people, concerned about noise, privacy and the possibility of low-level flights causing accidental injury.
The term "U-space" has been adopted to describe the management of unmanned aircraft traffic to ensure the safe interaction with other entities using the same space in any location, not just urban areas.
"We are already starting to see an increasing number of complex flights undertaken by drones in various experiments across the globe. Also, as everyone is aware, many companies have commercial ambitions to use drones for deliveries or, looking further ahead, to offer services such as air taxis," said Patrick Ky, Executive Director of EASA.
"This opinion proposes a regulatory framework that will allow such services to co-exist with all the other activities in our urban environments. The aim is to ensure safe operations, while also creating the basis for a competitive U-space services market, and establishing a level of environmental protection, security and privacy that is acceptable to the public."
The opinion, presented to the European Commission as a basis for future legislation, lays down the first building block for the establishment of the U-space in Europe. The initial scope is low level airspace, densely-populated urban airspace and locations close to an airport, with no attempt made to cover the airspace in other areas. EASA expects to expand the scope as the market develops and experience is gained.
One example of the measures it proposes is a Common Information Service for exchange of essential information. This would offer U-space service providers, air navigation service providers and other participants in the U-space airspace access to the same traffic data and airspace restrictions. This will help drone operators to plan and execute their flights safely, knowing exactly where and when their drone is permitted to fly.
Together with the opinion, EASA published a first set of draft content of acceptable means of compliance (AMC) and guidance material (GM) to support drone operators and EU member states in complying with the new rules. The final AMC & GM will be published by EASA once the European Commission has adopted the regulation and once the necessary consultation with stakeholders has been completed.
EASA publishes proposed regulatory framework for drones
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has published the first worldwide guidance on the use and control of drones in an urban environment.
The agency says its proposed regulatory framework balances a desire to maximise commercial and convenience benefits of drones against the need to ensure the safety and privacy of citizens and limit environmental impact on cities.
EASA has stated that the challenge is to integrate drones into urban environments which are already densely used by ground traffic and other types of air traffic such as commercial aircraft, civil aviation and emergency services helicopters. It added that people were also concerned about noise, privacy and the possibility of low-level flights causing accidental injury.
U-space: EASA’s term for unmanned air traffic
The term “U-space” has been adopted to describe the management of unmanned aircraft traffic to ensure the safe interaction with other entities using the same space in any location, not just urban areas.
Patrick Ky, Executive Director of EASA said: “We are already starting to see an increasing number of complex flights undertaken by drones in various experiments across the globe. Also, as everyone is aware, many companies have commercial ambitions to use drones for deliveries or, looking further ahead, to offer services such as air taxis.”
“This opinion proposes a regulatory framework that will allow such services to co-exist with all the other activities in our urban environments. The aim is to ensure safe operations, while also creating the basis for a competitive U-space services market, and establishing a level of environmental protection, security and privacy that is acceptable to the public.”
Framework is basis for future legislation
The framework has been presented to the European Commission as a basis for future legislation, lays down the first building block for the establishment of the U-space in Europe. The initial scope is low level airspace, densely-populated urban airspace and locations close to an airport, with no attempt made to cover the airspace in other areas. EASA expects to expand the scope as the market develops and experience is gained.
One example of the measures proposed is a Common Information Service for exchange of essential information. This would offer U-space service providers, air navigation service providers and other participants in the U-space airspace access to the same traffic data and airspace restrictions. This will help drone operators to plan and execute their flights safely, knowing exactly where and when their drone is permitted to fly.
Together with the opinion, EASA published a first set of draft content of acceptable means of compliance (AMC) and guidance material (GM) to support drone operators and EU member states in complying with the new rules. The final AMC & GM will be published by EASA once the European Commission has adopted the regulation and once the necessary consultation with stakeholders has been completed.
Can Hyundai's dream for personal air mobility become reality?
Hyundai is very serious about taking to the skies. Late last year, the South Korean automaker announced that they are establishing an Urban Air Mobility (UAM) division. But unlike other automakers who are into commercial aircraft such as Honda with their HondaJet and Mitsubishi with their upcoming SpaceJet, Hyundai is taking a different approach.
Instead of making private airplanes, Hyundai's Urban Air Mobility division will focus on much smaller aircraft to fit in between city skylines. To get a jumpstart on things, they have hired a former helicopter industry executive to get them off the ground. His name is J. Scott Drennan.
His name may be unfamiliar to many of us but Drennan's background is impressive nonetheless. He worked for Bell, now known as Bell Textron, for over 25 years. He worked on projects such as the V-22 Osprey, AW609 helicopter, and the V-280. If you take a look at the these aircraft, these all make use VTOL or Vertical Take-Off and Landing systems, which is just what Hyundai Urban Air Mobility needs.
Hyundai hires helicopter exec for their flight division image
Drennan will be leading research and development for Hyundai's UAM. With a background in VTOL and tilt-rotor aircraft, his knowledge is vital in making air transport for the city which is made challenging with the limitations of space. Drennan will be working with Dr. Jaiwon Shin who had worked research and development at NASA for 30 years.
Hyundai had showed an aircraft prototype earlier this year. Dubbed the SA-1 and will be electric powered instead of jet-powered. Hyundai is aiming for a 2022 roll out for their first ever aircraft.
For their Urban Air Mobility Division, Hyundai wants to develop their own engine and airframe with the expertise of Shin, along with aviation safety systems and air traffic management technologies. With the word 'mobility' in the name, Hyundai is hinting something like carpooling service, albeit in the air. Who knows, perhaps air taxis might just be a thing in our lifetimes if Hyundai's new venture proves a success.
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