A new briefing from SkeyDrone says that in order to realise the full potential of drone operations, U-space requires a well-coordinated approach that balances market growth, airspace redesign, and law enforcement.
SkeyDrone expects to become a certified U-space Service Provider (USSP) in Europe and the article outlines the company’s U-space vision for 2025, as articulated by Managing Director Hendrik-Jan Van Der Gucht and Head of Regulatory Affairs Jean-Pierre De Muyt.
Predicted growth in the drone is expected to propel the number of operations to an estimated 28 million worldwide, necessitating an urgent need for robust uncrewed traffic management systems to ensure the safe, efficient, and sustainable integration of uncrewed aircraft into the airspace. SkeyDrone says it is imperative to get the basics right from the outset.
“SkeyDrone believes that this growth can only truly occur with such a dedicated regulatory framework that enables the safe integration of crewed and uncrewed operations,” the article states. “We will only be successful in answering the increasing demand for drone applications such as deliveries and infrastructure inspections, if we are able to safely transition to an airspace where multiple beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) flights can take place in a simultaneous manner. That’s exactly why U-space was conceived. Today, in the pre U-space era, BVLOS flights are still considered as too unsafe and often only receive the necessary approvals in test environments or isolated parts of the airspace.”
SkeyDrone points out that, across the European Union, over 1.8 million drone operators are currently registered and national Civil Aviation Authorities have issued 4,300 operational declarations and authorisations in the Specific category. “The total number of actual drone flights is however significantly higher, as multiple flights might occur under the same operational authorisation and also all flights conducted in the widely-used Open category need to be added to that number.
“Driven by this demand and the conviction that U-space is the proper solution, candidate USSPs and U-space airspaces are gradually emerging. A survey conducted by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in January 2024 shows there are already 11 USSP candidates and more than 25 potential U-space airspaces within the European Union.”
SkeyDrone calls for consistent airspace redesign. “Merely adding U-space as yet another type of geozone will only increase an already high level of complexity, jeopardising in the end the scalable growth of drone operations. Therefore U-space should serve as a catalyst for rationalising the organisation of the lower airspace, fostering market growth. Without a coherent strategy, we risk ending up with a patchwork of disconnected geozones.”
The article suggests a solution can be achieved by receiving real-time information from all USSPs (potentially via a single Common Information Service Provider (CISP)) and revising the airspace structure. “In this revised structure, the access conditions defined by the local geozone managers could be incorporated into the U-space metadata as operational restrictions.
“Therefore SkeyDrone advocates for a standardised European approach on how each Member State should consciously integrate U-space airspace in an overarching geozone strategy. This approach would streamline operations, reduce redundancies, and ultimately enhance safety and clarity for all airspace users.”
Regarding unauthorised operations, which are also increasing in number, SkeyDrone says that as there is no obligation for USSPs to invest in non-cooperative drone detection systems, a strict law enforcement framework is key.
“In Belgium alone, ANSP skeyes – acting as geozone manager for controlled airspace – has authorised 15,462 drone flights in 2023, marking a 24 percent rise from 2022. The Port of Antwerp-Bruges has authorised over 5,000 drone flights between March 2021 and February 2024. Yet SkeyDrone’s continuously growing drone detection system has shown that in many geozones, these authorised flights are only a fraction of the total drone activity.
“The introduction of U-space services like geo-awareness and flight authorisation can help to mitigate this problem by providing operators with real-time information about no-fly zones and airspace restrictions. However, these measures must be supported by stricter law enforcement policies. By leveraging technologies such as remote identification and drone detection systems, authorities can ensure that only authorised drone flights occur, reducing risks and improving overall safety.”
To achieve all of this, SkeyDrone is calling for action now. “By taking a proactive stance on U-space implementation, we can avoid a fragmented airspace and instead build a unified, safe, and efficient system that supports the next generation of aviation.”
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Image: SkeyDrone’s vision for 2025 includes Antwerp as an example U-space airspace candidate
