DSpace Repository

Welcome to the NLR Reports Repository

Royal NLR conducts research, which is published in reports. Only a minor part of these reports is made public. This repository holds these public, so called Technical Publications (TP), mainly produced from 1996 up till now.

Technical publications published before 1996 may be obtained using the request-form. Other types of NLR-reports are Contract Reports (CR) and Technical Reports (TR), which in general are not public. You may however request a copy by using the request-form. In some cases permission may be granted, depending on specific properties and contractor of the report. Reports will be supplied as pdf-file.

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Recent Submissions

UAS In-flight Mission Changes: Exploring the Frontiers of Dynamic Airspace Reconfiguration
(IEEE, 2026) Teutsch, J.; Bos, T.J.J.; Schmitt, A.; Zon, G.D.R.
The ENSURE project is a fast-track initiative within the Single European Sky Air Traffic Management Research (SESAR) Programme, addressing the strategic domain of U-space and Urban Air Mobility. Its objective is to define and standardize a common interface and set of core services (also called Common Information Services, CIS) that bridge traditional Air Traffic Management (ATM) with U-space operations for unmanned aircraft. Building upon prior SESAR research on the integration of manned and unmanned traffic in shared, non-segregated airspace, ENSURE focuses on the operational realization of Dynamic Airspace Re-configuration (DAR). The DAR procedures and associated ATC support tools developed within the ENSURE project serve as a key enabler for the safe, efficient, and flexible management of shared airspace volumes. These airspace volumes are predefined and are commonly known as ATM U-space Shared Airspace (AUSA). By enabling the dynamic delegation of AUSA between ATM and U-space regimes, the DAR procedures facilitate the orderly segregation of traffic and reduce the risk of close encounters between manned and unmanned aircraft. As part of the DAR validation activities, the Royal Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR) examined several U-space use cases involving state actors, such as the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN), requiring access to airspace volumes in proximity to the approach areas of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (EHAM). The related scenarios address the execution of sovereign tasks, including asset protection, emergency response, and disaster relief operations, thereby demonstrating the practical applicability of DAR in complex, mixed-traffic environments. This paper describes the results of UAS flight demonstrations in the Netherlands combined with a simulation of U-space services provision and Schiphol approach control, carried out by NLR as part of the final DAR validation activities. The NLR study investigates the critical limits of the DAR processes, particularly in accommodating in-flight mission changes for unmanned movements. Specific attention is given to assessing the timing of airspace change requests using DAR procedures, including in contingency situations. The results of this study contribute to the validation of the details of applied DAR procedures in a realistic operational context and the development of requirements for ATC tools supporting both DAR managers and Schiphol approach controllers, demonstrating their effectiveness in managing shared airspace dynamically and safely.
Advanced Controller Interfaces for U-space Initiated DAR Requests above VLL Airspace
(SESAR, 2025) Teutsch, J.; Bos, T.J.J.
The ENSURE project is a fast-track project that is part of the Single European Sky Air Traffic Management Research (SESAR) Programme. It addresses the strategic domain of U-space and Urban Air Mobility and seeks to standardize a common interface and core services bridging traditional Air Traffic Management (ATM) with U-space for unmanned traffic. Main deliverables include a unified data model and architectural framework, as well as an operational methodology for dynamic airspace delegation, supporting safe traffic segregation and reducing the risk of close encounters between manned and unmanned aircraft. Dynamic Airspace Re-configuration (DAR) has been identified as the main enabler for a more efficient and dynamic use of shared airspace volumes. The Royal Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR) examined a range of use cases involving state actors, such as the Royal Navy of the Netherlands, requiring access to airspace volumes in proximity to the approach areas of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. These use cases pertain to the execution of sovereign tasks, including asset protection, the provision of emergency services, and disaster relief operations. The focus of this paper is on the development of Human Machine Interfaces for different air traffic controller roles, i.e. the airspace manager responsible for implementing U-space DAR requests in proximity of Schiphol and the Schiphol Approach controllers.
Development of a Holistic Assessment Framework for the Design of AI-Based Automation
(MDPI, 2026) Stroeve, S.H.; Kirwan, B.; Everdij, M.H.C.
There is a need to ensure that the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in increasingly automated operations is safe, human-centric, and trustworthy, and respects ethical principles. To this end, this paper presents an innovative holistic assessment framework to support certification-aware design of AI-based sociotechnical systems with a range of levels of automation along multiple design stages from low to high technology and human readiness levels (TRLs/HRLs). The holistic scope considers a range of relevant key performance areas (KPAs): safety, resilience, security, Human Factors, accountability, responsibility, liability, efficiency, societal sustainability, and environmental sustainability. The core of the framework is a seven-step cycle that assesses the KPAs for critical scenarios and evaluates the combined performance, including uncertainty and trade-offs. This provides feedback to either adapt the design at the same TRL/HRL or refine it at higher TRLs/HRLs. The framework enacted by a toolbox of assessment methods for the KPAs. The framework has been developed in the aviation domain, but it is formulated in a generic manner, enabling application to various AI techniques and operational domains. Its application is illustrated in detail for an air traffic management use case that employs an AI-based system to support air traffic controllers in sequencing aircraft. It is concluded that the framework provides a viable approach for holistic assessment of AI-based sociotechnical systems.
Graded structures by multi-material mixing in laser powder bed fusion
(Elsevier, 2021) Wits, W.W.; Amsterdam, E.
Multi-material mixing in laser powder bed fusion is demonstrated by fabricating functionally graded structures in which Inconel and stainless steel are metallurgically bonded. Material mixing and elemental diffusion in the transition zone are studied for single scan tracks, hatch scans and multi-layer builds. An adapted recoater enabling powder deposition from multiple sources was utilized to fabricate a more gradual transition zone by alternating material deposition within the build. Homogenization heat treatment enhances elemental diffusion compared to the as-built configuration resulting in a gradual material transition without a distinct interface. Finally, a multi-material heat exchanger is presented as exemplary design implementation.
Review of methods for assessing the climate impacts of aviation technologies and the resulting best practices
(Springer, 2026) Grewe, V.; Zhukovska, S.; Dahlmann, K.; Matthes, S.; Megill, L.; Bertram, P.; Ratei, P.; Prakasha, P.; Linke, F.; Niklaß, M.; Lührs, B.; Terrenoire, E.; Novelli, P.; Lefebvre, T.; Söffing, L.; Bucchignani, E.; Solazzo, M.