Advanced Controller Interfaces for U-space Initiated DAR Requests above VLL Airspace

Abstract

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.