The capital increase of D-Flight, a company created by ENAV to develop the U-space platform for the provision of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Traffic Management (UTM), or for the management of the so-called "drones".
The industrial structure alongside ENAV led by Leonardo in partnership with Telespazio and IDS-Ingegneria Dei Sistemi. Following the capital increase, for an amount equal to 6,6 million euros, D-Flight's share capital will be held 60% by ENAV and 40% by Leonardo, Telespazio and IDS. In addition to coordinating the industrial team, Leonardo is responsible for system design, as System Integrator, and for the development of most of the software services, ensuring adequate levels of security based on a "security by design" approach.
The industrial partner was identified in May 2018 following the conclusion of a tender procedure launched following the signing of the agreement between the ENAC regulator and the national air traffic service provider ENAV. With the agreement, ENAV undertook to develop and implement a specific air traffic management system for UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) and to define the methods of providing services through the development of a platform which, by integrating multiple and complex technologies, guarantees the safe handling of remotely piloted aircraft.
For this purpose and in accordance with its own mission institution of managing air traffic safely, ENAV aims to make traditional air traffic coexist with the needs of the new type of traffic, allowing the use of drones for a growing number of services, including those of public utility, guaranteeing the highest levels of safety .
The demand for services created through the use of drones is growing exponentially, with enormous potential to generate social, economic and environmental benefits. For this reason, the European Union has launched an ambitious plan to favor the consolidation of this new market, in particular through the development in Europe of the system U space, which will enable the execution of complex drone operations with a high degree of automation in all types of operating environments, including urban areas. D-Flight is the Italian industry's response to the challenge launched by the European Union. The platform U space, developed by D-Flight, will allow for the integration of multiple technologies for the safe handling of cooperating remotely piloted aircraft – i.e. registered, authenticated and identified – in civil airspace, as well as for their pre-flight and in-flight surveillance, support for planning mission, emergency management, flight data recording.
The ability to provide the services U space it is the prerequisite for ensuring the safe flight of drones out of the line of sight and represents a turning point for the opening of new markets based on their use. In fact, the sector is destined to grow exponentially in the coming years, with estimates that see seven million drones in circulation for recreational use and another four hundred thousand used for commercial purposes between now and 2050 in Europe alone.
D-Flight will release the services U space progressively, according to one The roadmap technology that anticipates the European program and the regulatory process in place, recently endorsed by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Some basic services are already available on the www.d-flight.it portal, in particular the professional drone registration service and the "geo-awareness”, which allows, in a simple and intuitive way, to understand whether it is possible to fly in a certain point of the Italian territory and what are the applicable flight conditions, on the basis of the regulations in force.
By 2019, in view of the publication of the new EASA regulation, registration will be extended to all operators, regardless of the recreational or professional use of their drones. Furthermore, an app for mobile devices will be made available for the launch of the electronic identification service and a service for validating the flight intent and supporting the authorization process, where required on the basis of current rules.
In addition to these initial services, in support of Beyond Line-of-Sight Operations (BVLOS), D-Flight will develop solutions for the tracking of drones in real time, according to surveillance models similar to those already implemented today for traditional air traffic control. Thanks to D-Flight, a wide range of BVLOS operations on the Italian territory are expected to be launched on a routine basis in the near future.
