European safety agency Eurocontrol is working with Estonia’s civil aviation authority (ECAA) and air navigation service provider (EANS) to conduct an airspace assessment of the Tallinn control zone. The project, part of Eurocontrol’s Support to States activity, is to prepare for the integration of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in controlled airspace and Tallinn’s urban area.
Eurocontrol will assess the operational procedures currently in place in Tallinn control zone and evaluate the potential impact of UAS operations higher than 500ft over Tallinn in general, as well as those near Tallinn Lennart Meri International Airport, covering both open and specific category UAS operations.
The purpose of the assessment is to build a full picture of the airspace; to identify restrictions, operations, air and ground risks; and to map mid-air collision risks to see how best to integrate UAS safely.
Eurocontrol methodology will help to define the initial air risk class, estimating the probability of encountering manned aircraft; and ground risk class, based on the identified airspace restrictions, populated areas and critical infrastructure.
Once completed, the assessment will contribute to redesigning Tallinn’s airspace. The work will help identify communication, navigation, surveillance and geo-fencing requirements. It can be also used to evaluate a baseline risk for planned unmanned operations based on the initial air class and ground class risks.
This project builds upon a similar assistance project Eurocontrol conducted in Riga, Latvia in 2019.
(Image: Eurocontrol, Shutterstock)
For more information visit:
