Workshop on unmanned aerial systems and satellite services

ESA’s Directorate of Telecommunications and Integrated Applications supports a number of activities related to the use of satellite systems for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) missions, while the European Defence Agency (EDA) has initiated the Air4All activity after being tasked by the Defence Ministers Steering Board in May 2007. Air4All is a consortium of major European aerospace companies involved in UAS activities, working for EDA and its participating Member States to put together a road map for the insertion of UAS in European airspace.
 
The purpose of the workshop is to inform UAS stakeholders about:

• the outcome of ESA-initiated studies in the area of satellite-UAS cooperative missions
• the outcome of the EDA-initiated Air4All initiative, and associated activities supporting the Air4All roadmap
• state-of-the-art satellite communications in support of UAS
• the benefits of satellite infrastructure to operators of UAS requiring beyond-line-of-sight operations and to safety and air traffic authorities, with respect to safety, security, performance and cost

EDA and ESA would also like to consult UAS stakeholders on two planned activities. These will encompass a feasibility study preparing for a satellite-UAS cooperative mission demonstrating UAS integration in non-segregated airspace and, in the following phase, an actual demonstration of a satellite-UAS cooperative mission supporting the Air4All roadmap concept.
 
This workshop will mainly address requirements for missions that are likely to be supported by satellite infrastructure, and those that will require (air traffic service) communications.
 
A complete agenda, registration requirements and contact information are accessible by means of the links located in the right column of this page.