The ÉALÚ-AER project has successfully completed the third phase of its integration and validation activities at the Future Mobility Campus Ireland (FMCI) vertiport, located near Shannon International Airport, Ireland. This phase marked a significant step forward by introducing CNPC (Control and Non-Payload Communications) C2 ground network capabilities and integrating them onto a dedicated test platform through remote Beyond Visual Line Of Sight (BVLOS) operations.
At the core of this advancement lies the CNPC C2 system, an enabler for safe and secure remote piloting. CNPC C2 provides a dedicated communication link between the drone and the ground control station, ensuring continuous command and control capabilities even when the drone is operating beyond the visual range of the pilot.
By successfully integrating CNPC C2 onto the test platform, ÉALÚ-AER demonstrated the viability of remote piloting over extended distances in a controlled airspace environment. This complements previous phases by adding a robust communication infrastructure to the existing U-space services and surveillance capabilities, thus fostering more complex and scalable drone operations in integrated airspace, improving the UAS performance, displaying the C2 link information through the USSP (U-space Service Provider) to the user and therefore allowing the maximisation of airspace utilisation.
The achievements of this phase strengthen the foundation for the safe deployment of innovative air mobility (IAM) solutions and bring the ÉALÚ-AER project one step closer to demonstrate a fully integrated U-space implementation.
