Objectives

REAL project promotes the use of EGNOS in the RPAS sector by developing and integrating an EGNOS based navigation and surveillance sensor in two different RPAS platforms, and as such enabling to perform innovative operations by contributing to its approval.

More precisely, REAL project will target four main objectives:

to develop and integrate an EGNOS Navigation and Surveillance System in two different RPAS in direct support to the navigation function down to a height from where landing can be performed using other devices. Position computed by the EGNOS sensor will also support the surveillance functions (i.e. ADS-B), allowing remote pilot to maintain awareness of the overall operational situation;
to develop a concept of operations, endorsed by a safety assessment, for the approval of operations, considering the national regulations and planned European roadmap;
to perform flight tests, through two different RPAS operational scenarios, for validating the navigation and surveillance functions as in support to a safety assessment towards the future approval of operations; and
to adapt existing flight procedure design criteria by considering RPAS dynamic performance as well as the operational environment for each scenario, assuming that, being no humans on board, a crash of the RPAS is not a catastrophe in itself.

REAL project objectives diagram

Scenarios

The solution will consist not only in developing the navigation and surveillance system, but to validate it and demonstrate its benefits throughout two concrete commercial-based scenarios:

Scenario 1 – Precise take-off and landing on power substations

The first scenario will be operated by Sharper Shape using its multicopter Sharper A6. The mission will consist in performing inspection of power distribution lines at Caruna Ltd.’s network area, Finland. Sharper A6 aircraft will takeoff from power substation with onboard sensors payload and EGNOS system for BVLOS inspection mission in range of maximum of 10 kms. Aircraft will be flying over and aside of distribution line forward and back, and will land to the same power substation where it originally took off. During the flight, Sharperscope 5.0 payload will collect LIDAR data, static images, HD video, infrared and ultraviolet imaging required for inspection of power line corridor. Company’s customised software is capable of automatic analysis of dataset and identification of issues in the powerline corridor.

Scenario 2 – Firefighting operations.

The second scenario will be operated by CATEC using its multicopter D130. The mission will consist in performing the same operations that should be followed during a firefighting coordination, tasks nowadays performed by a manned aircraft. Operator will fly the RPAS through a specific route to a certain waypoint, where the vehicle should perform a static loitering or a slow circling movement around an area. Once the task is finished, the RPAS will fly back to its origin using an approach procedure. This demonstration will be performed in ATLAS Test Centre, Spain, which has a dedicated segregated airspace big enough for the whole demonstration purpose.

Sharper A6 performing power line inspection.

ATLAS Test Centre, Spain

Timeline

REAL project started in July 2016 and has an estimated duration of 2 years. Throughout this timeline, different milestones have been identified as follows:

Milestone 1 - CONOPs for both scenarios are reviewed and accepted. Performance requirements for the EGNOS Navigation and Surveillance System are consolidated.
Milestone 2 - EGNOS Navigation and Surveillance System is fully developed and ready to be integrated into the RPAS.
Milestone 3 - Validation tests on the EGNOS Navigation and Surveillance System have been performed and analysed on the basis of the CONOPS.
Milestone 4 - Demonstrations of the CONOPs has been performed and analysed.

REAL project timeline showing the milestones in a month timescale

REAL Project has received funding from the European GNSS Agency within the framework program "EGNOS Adoption in Aviation"