The individual main work packages (MWP) and sub-work packages (SWP) are described in more detail below:
MWP 1: Basic concept
First, a requirements analysis is carried out based on usage scenarios as well as the existing legal situation and the legal framework to be used as a basis for a UTM in the future. Based on this, basic decisions for a UTM are formulated as an element of a legal and technical overall concept for planning, monitoring and ensuring safe and efficient UAS air traffic. This is followed by a conceptual draft of the overall system from the application perspectives “city” and “drone operator”.
| SWP 1.1 | Requirements analysis, including stakeholder analysis and usage scenarios (standard cases and special cases) and differentiated analysis of the risk potential of drones |
| SWP 1.2 | Analysis of the existing legal situation and the legal framework to be used as a basis for a UTM in the future, as well as an analysis of the actual processes for flight permits and clearances at the Hamburg Aviation Administration and DFS |
| SWP 1.3 | Description of the functions and objectives of an overall concept, in particular air traffic security, data protection, privacy and the environment |
| SWP 1.4 | Ongoing monitoring and communication of new legal developments, especially at EU level |
| SWP 1.5 | Conceptual design of the overall system from an application perspective (with the help of use case diagrams), role definition |
| SWP 1.6 | Conceptual design of the overall system from a functional perspective / functional architecture |
| SWP 1.7 | Validation of the conceptual design from SWP 1.5 and SWP 1.6 against the requirements from SWP 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3 |
MWP 2: Detailed conception of the procedures
Conception of legal and technical procedures for future safe and efficient identification, registration, approval, flight clearance and monitoring of drones and drone flights in a metropolitan area. This also includes the design of secure positioning and secure communication between drones and the control center.
| SWP 2.1 | Conception of the procedure for the secure (crypto-) electronic identification of drones for the purposes of approval/registration, flight clearance and monitoring during the flight (cooperative behavior is assumed) |
| SWP 2.2 | Conception of procedures for secure communication with drones on the ground (e.g. during flight clearance) and in the air |
| SWP 2.3 | Detailed design of the procedures for the simplest and most automated registration of holder and drone |
| SWP 2.4 | Detailed conception of the procedures for a flight permit and release that is as automated as possible, with the possibility of human intervention by the control center in cases that are difficult to automate, also taking into account risk analyzes based on the SORA guidelines (Specific Operations Risk Assessment) |
| SWP 2.5 | Detailed conception of the procedure for a secure location, with which a control center is informed at all times about the position and flight direction of drones |
MWP 3: airspace allocation
Conception of a procedure for airspace definition (air traffic routes vs. flight corridors) and for the individual allocation of air areas for the handling of drone flights in limited airspace (in spatial and temporal dimensions) taking into account operators and requests with different priorities as well as UAS-free danger areas (geofencing).
| SWP 3.1 | Analysis of user scenarios (e.g. medical, commercial, private, differentiation between flights for transport purposes (from A to B, as short/fast/energy-saving as possible) and flights with a longer stay in one area (e.g. for monitoring accident sites from the air, for taking photos, …) in terms of typical airspace requirements |
| SWP 3.2 | Development of alternative approaches for the organization and structuring of airspace (air traffic routes vs. flight corridors), in particular also with regard to the highest possible degree of automatability |
| SWP 3.3 | Development of a functionality for planning single 4D drone trajectories considering UAS-free danger areas (geofencing) |
| SWP 3.4 | Investigation of conflict-free route assignment based on a centralized traffic flow control approach, taking into account differently prioritized operators and requests |
| SWP 3.5 | Investigation of conflict-free route assignment based on a decentralized traffic flow control approach, taking into account operators and requests with different priorities |
| SWP 3.6 | Analysis of the suitability of these approaches for implementation for the Hamburg urban area, based on different scenarios regarding the increase of UAS traffic based on possible market developments in the Hamburg urban area |
MWP 4: flight management
Conception of an efficient adjustment of flight routes to current conditions. In addition, an interface of the UTM with the ATM of the DFS for manned aviation is designed.
| SWP 4.1 | Development of a simulation environment (virtual control station) for mapping the functionalities to be investigated |
| SWP 4.2 | Investigation of a route adaptation based on a centralized traffic flow control approach considering differently prioritized operators and requests |
| SWP 4.3 | Investigation of a route adaptation based on a decentralized traffic flow control approach taking into account differently prioritized operators and requests |
| SWP 4.4 | Analysis of the suitability of these approaches for implementation for the Hamburg urban area, based on different scenarios regarding the increase of UAS traffic based on possible market developments in the Hamburg urban area |
| SWP 4.5 | Conception of an interface of the UTM with the ATM of DFS for manned aviation |
MWP 5: Guidance System
Design and prototypical implementation of a control system. The legal and technical requirements and solution concepts developed are implemented in a software system for the identification, approval and flight clearance of drone systems in Hamburg airspace (MWP 2) as well as for planning (MWP 3) and for
Monitoring and replanning (MWP 4) of flight routes. For this purpose, a control center system is being developed and set up in this MWP, which allows users and the operator of the control center to carry out processes for identification, approval, flight planning, flight clearance, flight monitoring and replanning interactively and decentrally, ergonomically. The control center will also have interfaces to
- Superordinate Flight Command for Manned Aircraft at Deutsche Flugsicherung (DFS)
- Forces for the “enforcement”, which is requested from the control center.
| SWP 5.1 | Design and implementation of the procedures developed in MWP 1 and MWP 2 for an efficient registration and certification and flight release organization. |
| SWP 5.2 | Design and implementation of mission planning according to the procedures developed in MWP 3, incl. implementation of a collision check for missions |
| SWP 5.3 | Design and implementation of control of flying drones in the control room |
| SWP 5.4 | Drones emergency landing during special events |
| SWP 5.5 | Develop strategies for dealing with temporary no-fly zones on drone |
| SWP 5.6 | Develop resilience concepts for drone control center communications |
| SWP 5.7 | Implementation of an interface of the UTM with the ATM of the DFS for manned aviation |
| SWP 5.8 | Implementation of a possibility for statistical evaluation of the drone flights |
MWP 6: Test / Demonstration
Extensive tests of all processes and the control system. Practical implementation and demonstration of all the above-mentioned procedures and the control system functionalities in a real test using a UAS with a cooperative sensor system and conflicting requirements of flights taking place at the same time.
| SWP 6.1 | Conduct and demonstrate the procedures for registering a drone operator, registering a drone, registering a single flight, registering regularly recurring flights, and subsequently changing information |
| SWP 6.2 | Systematic integration testing |
| SWP 6.3 | During the show case or live flights, all missions are performed after the planning and approval process has been completed. Further stakeholders (e.g. from the BMVI) are invited to these demonstrations |
MWP 7: Evaluation
Assessment of the effects and efficiency of the result with regard to the identified goals and functions, based on an expanding drone traffic.
| SWP 7.1 | Evaluation of the show cases and demonstrations carried out |
| SWP 7.2 | Extrapolate how these results scale with larger numbers of drone flights |
| SWP 7.3 | Carrying out cost/benefit analyses taking into account the demand scenarios that have been developed |
| SWP 7.4 | Collection and documentation of stakeholder feedback in terms of quality assurance (private, commercial and public drone operators, operators and operators of the control center) |