- Kolbrún Gunnarsdóttir
- Jun 23
Updated: Jun 30
In collaboration with HungaroControl and Unifly, we recently hosted a series of important events in Iceland for the ENSURE SESAR 3 project, a Horizon Europe-funded initiative focused on defining a common and standardized interface for information exchange between U-space and Air Traffic Management (ATM). The three-day agenda included crucial validation exercises, a project management board meeting, and an open day showcasing early results.
Day 1: TRL 4 Validations – Advancing ATM-U-space Integration
The week commenced with TRL 4 validations, conducted at our facilities using our Polaris ATM system and Orion Simulator, as well as Unifly's UTM system.
These validations focused on three critical use cases:
UC1: Aircraft in Emergency
UC2: C2 Link Lost – UAS in Emergency within CTR (Controlled Traffic Region)
UC3: UAS in Emergency within Airport
These exercises aimed to validate a standardized data model, architecture, and operational methodology for integrating drones and other new entrant aircraft into controlled airspace. The validation activities were a collaborative effort with partners Unifly and HungaroControl – Hungarian Air Navigation Services, involving their Air Traffic Control Officers (ATCOs) alongside Human Factors and Safety Experts. The focus was on enhancing safety, automation, and digital transformation in air traffic management.
Day 2: 7th ENSURE Project Management Board Meeting
Tern Systems had the pleasure of hosting the 7th ENSURE Project Management Board (PMB) meeting at its headquarters. This pivotal meeting brought together project partners to discuss project progress, open tasks and plan for upcoming project milestones. The PMB is crucial for steering the project's direction and ensuring alignment among all collaborators.
Day 3: Open Day – Showcasing Early Results and Future Capabilities
The week concluded with the first ENSURE Open Day in Iceland, co-hosted with our exercise partners HungaroControl and Unifly. The event provided an opportunity to present early results from Solution 1 – Exercise 3 TRL 4 validations of the ATM-U-space interface, which had taken place on the first day.
The presented interface allows UAS operators to operate within controlled airspace with systematic communication with ATM, reducing or even alleviating the need for communication via phone or email between the UAS operator, ATC tower, and other actors. It also enhances situational awareness by providing ATM with UAS positions and UAS operators with aircraft positions. Early results indicate the solution maintains safe operational levels and delivers relevant information to ATCOs.
Guests at the open day had the opportunity to learn about the project's findings through presentations and discussions with experts. They also experienced firsthand the functionalities being developed within the ENSURE project, which have been integrated into Polaris ATM system and Unifly's UTM system
We extend our gratitude to all ENSURE project members who attended the events, and to Isavia ANS for providing facilities and guided tours of their control center, further enriching the experience. The development of this solution will continue, with more mature validations planned for later this year, as the ENSURE project continues to push the boundaries of U-space operations in manned airspace.
