Rotorcraft Report: European Defence Agency Takes On Integration of UAVs in Civil Airspace

UAVS

The European Defence Agency (EDA) is examining responses to a call for a study contract to find an all-Europe approach to unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) airspace integration, correspondent Ann Roosevelt reports in our sister publication, Defense Daily.

The call for requests to participate, which were due July 10, were expected to result in a six-month study contract valued at $680,000.

The study is a joint effort of EDA, the European Commission, and the Aerospace and Defence Industries Assn. of Europe.

In the United States, the FAA Unmanned Aircraft Program Office is working on a five-year road map for the introduction of UAVs into the national airspace. It is a collaborative effort focused on defining related activities within the FAA, government agencies, and industry to evaluate current unmanned mission needs, forecast near-term demands on airspace capacity, and chart a strategic plan to safely integrate their operations into the national airspace.

The European contract description said UAVs are a breakthrough technology that contribute to meeting European security and defense objectives. Investment is expected in UAVs and their related technologies by the military and civil aviation companies and research institutes.