The introduction of the U-space regulation represented a paradigm change for airspace regulation with its promise to switch the airspace management philosophy from the existing management by voice-based clearance to more modern and scalable management by digital and automated systems. Regulatory frameworks serve as a guidance and can be helpful in creating a level playing field for the industry. Affordable pricing structures for UAS operators and a viable business for U-Space Service Providers (USSPs), for example, both depend on all relevant systems being founded on interoperability and common standards.

Automation in U-space involves several key capabilities:

✅ The ability to simultaneously process multiple flight authorization requests automated and near real-time, ensures conflict-free operations.

✅ Providing UAS operators with real-time digital services enhances situational awareness and safety

✅ Connecting UAS operators with authorities and ATC through a digital network helps to provide equitable access to airspace to new users.

As the level of automation increases, regulators are constantly working to approve systems and architectures that, while ensuring the safety of operations, provide scalable and affordable solutions to all users. It is increasingly evident that scalability is helped along through the extensive use of interoperable industry standards. The affordability of the system for its users is heavily reliant on the economy of scale but it also necessitates reaching a viable business model for all those providing services (e.g., U-space service providers (USSP), supplementary data service providers (SDSP), central information service providers (CISP)etc.). It is an incredibly complex balance that regulators aim to achieve and several calls for support to the industry have been made already.

At HHLA Sky, we not only closely monitor and implement relevant standards, but actively support standardization efforts globally. Cybersecurity and data security are among our protected values, which is why we are proud to be the first cybersecurity-certified solution for managing automated drone and mobile robot workflows at scale in accordance with the IEC 62443 industry standard. Certification to industry standards such as this one is a lengthy and expensive process that is justified in the presence of a market and of users consuming the services. The market, in turn, can only be created when European Member States succeed in establishing U-Space airspaces in response to pressing user needs. The more pressing the need, the faster we can all expect a regulator’s response to it. 

The EU U-space regulatory package does not only concern drone operations, but impacts parts of the aviation system as well, for example, with the requirement for aircraft to be electronically conspicuous when entering U-space airspace or the need to establish a dynamic airspace reconfiguration capability for the ANSP. It is a first step beyond human-centric airspace management towards digitalization and automation.

HHLA Sky, with its Integrated Control Center platform (ICC), is championing this shift towards automation. It provides a encompassing control center that allows operators to manage more than 100 drones simultaneously, from a user-friendly, web-based interface. Using the ICC, operators can see everything they need to see at the right time, without information overload on the screen.

In addition, the Integrated Control Center provides all the necessary interfaces, prompts and feedback loops to intelligently interact with UAS traffic management (UTM): for safe and efficient U-space management, the HHLA Sky USSP Control Center is the real-time link between UTM services and our Integrated Control Center and other services in the ecosystem such as other conformance warnings from other USSPs, traffic data sources, government agencies, and air traffic control.

In summary, U-space presents trail-blazing opportunities for innovation and scale for drone companies, but also presents a chance for flexible and innovative rules so that innovation can drive and enable the next leap forward in aviation, with drones being the pioneers for further developments.

AI generated title image, photo credit: HHLA Sky

If you are interested in automated U-space management, take a look at HHLA's USSP Control Center technology. Please ask your personal contact or email us at sky@hhla.de.

Proposal to introduce a Conformance Monitoring Service as a fifth USSP feature as part of the implementation of the European U-space regulation: https://hhla-sky.de/news/european-u-space-regulation-proposal-for-implementation