Development of the extended U-space Concept of Operations CORUS V5.0

Europe has developed the U-space Concept of Operations as a basis for regulations, system development and drone operations.

Most operations to date have taken place in segregated airspace yet the need to integrate U-space into controlled airspace is increasingly recognized as an enabler to widespread use of unpiloted vehicles.

The SESAR projects CORUS and CORUS XUAM have developed and demonstrated the European Concept of Operations for U-space, presently ConOps v4.0. Recognizing that full integration, not segregation, is the final objective we advocate a stepwise approach.

Building on the success of CORUS and CORUS XUAM, “CORUS five” will extend and mature the European U-space ConOps to include airspace that is not presently covered, e.g above VLL and in the vicinity of controlled airports.

This objective can only be met by involving all stakeholder groups and eliciting a sound set of requirements based on their needs. The CORUS five consortium therefore includes ANSPs, a USSP, a CISP, research, industry as well as a drone operator.

To ensure alignment and uptake of ConOps v5.0 with the ATM community, the consortium includes the EUROCONTROL ATM Master Plan Unit.

To base the ConOps on an even wider base, a strong Advisory Board will be built and consulted very actively through workshops and dialogue to capture requirements and ensure the ConOps is safe and technically feasible.

It would be naïve to assume that all outstanding research questions can be solved in the lifetime of CORUS five and its sibling projects. An Integration Roadmap will provide recommendations how outstanding research topics can be addressed. In addition, Recommendations for Standardization and Regulation will be provided.

Communication, Dissemination and Exploitation are of outmost importance for a project with such a potential for the future aviation system.

Flanking the CDE strategy is a series of stakeholder workshops to disseminate the CORUS five ConOps as widely as possible.