Honeywell Unveils Advanced Ground Control Station for eVTOL Aircraft, Marking Major Milestone in Future Air Mobility
Honeywell Aerospace, in collaboration with Austrian company Frequentis, has reached a significant milestone in the advancement of remotely piloted aircraft operations within European airspace. This achievement is part of the SESAR Joint Undertaking OperA (Operate Anywhere) project consortium. Through a successful flight test in Amstetten, Austria, in June, Honeywell showcased its new ground control station designed for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. This development signifies a major step towards safer and more efficient uncrewed aircraft operations, aligning with the global trends of automation and the future of aviation.
The flight test utilized the innovative functionalities of Honeywell’s two-display ground control station, operated from their Brno research and development facility. This advanced station features a collaborative interface with air traffic control, enabling the ground control operator to receive and execute commands in real time. The real-time data exchange significantly enhances operational efficiency and safety, ensuring smoother integration of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) into everyday airspace.
David Shilliday, Vice President and General Manager of Advanced Air Mobility at Honeywell Aerospace Technologies, emphasized the importance of this development. "As the air mobility industry evolves, Honeywell continues to lead in providing innovative solutions that enhance both safety and efficiency. These demonstrations are a critical step toward integrating advanced air mobility systems into everyday airspace, promising significant advancements in drone operations. With test flights such as the one in Amstetten, Honeywell is not only showcasing cutting-edge technology but is also reaffirming its dedication to shaping the future of aviation," Shilliday said.
Frequentis played a crucial role by providing enhanced U-space services for the flight test. U-space represents a new air traffic management environment tailored for unmanned aerial systems, relying heavily on digitization and automation. This environment is designed to safely accommodate a large number of drones within an airspace, offering services like mission conformance monitoring and tactical conflict detection. The validation exercise in Amstetten demonstrated the seamless integration of these highly automated U-space services with Honeywell’s ground control station, further enhancing safety and efficiency.
Additionally, Honeywell’s ground control station showcased the initial implementation of a ground-based detect and avoid solution. This safety tool is crucial for making drone flights safer and more reliable, especially in uncontrolled airspace. Using both simulated and real drones, the demonstration proved the effectiveness of this solution in preventing collisions and ensuring safe flight paths.
The OperA project, led by Honeywell and funded by the European Union’s SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking, focuses on building solutions for complex operations of advanced air mobility, including piloted eVTOL aircraft and uncrewed cargo aircraft in real-life European airspace. Günter Graf, Vice President of New Business Development at Frequentis, highlighted the significance of this project. "The OperA research project provides Frequentis with an innovative environment to enhance existing solutions and develop new technologies. The validation exercise in Amstetten was a significant milestone in ensuring the seamless integration of the extended and highly automated U-space services, including mission conformance monitoring and tactical conflict detection, with Honeywell’s ground control station and data exchange in real time," Graf stated.
This successful demonstration by Honeywell and Frequentis is a pivotal moment in the evolution of air mobility, paving the way for the widespread adoption of eVTOL aircraft and uncrewed aerial systems in European airspace. As automation and advanced air mobility technologies continue to develop, the future of aviation looks promising, with increased safety, efficiency, and integration of new flight systems into everyday airspace operations.
