Vertiport accessibility in all weather conditions, and the integration of Vertical Take-Off and Landing Capable Aircraft (VCA) operations at airports, not interfering with already existing traffic (mainly aircraft), are seen as major elements to be taken into consideration for the success of Innovative Air Mobility (IAM) operations and services.
Today European Global Navigation Satellite System (EGNSS) provides accurate navigation capability to civil aviation users, without requiring any specific ground infrastructure. Equally, EGNSS will be a key enabler to develop highly accurate VCA flight manoeuvrers and procedures in both, visual (VMC) and instrument (IMC) meteorological conditions:
• for busy airports where VCA and aircraft traffic need to be segregated to optimize the airport capacity, highly accurate flight trajectories will allow fully independent operations between aircraft and VCA traffics on busy airport, without blocking runway slots reserved for aircraft, and vice versa;
• for isolated vertiport, heliport, landing location where VCAs will need to be integrated based on current airspace structure, with highly efficient flight paths, minimizing the noise footprint and avoiding most populated areas through higher levels of flexibility.
The implementation of these new VCA flight procedures has to take into account the expectations at environmental level, especially regarding the noise footprint reduction. Indeed, these new procedures might be implemented above urban areas and consequently the noise impact is a major aspect to consider, in particular towards public acceptance. In addition, flight efficiency in terms of power consumption should be prioritized to minimize any impact on flight endurance.
VITOLMINS includes the development of low noise flight criteria and capable EGNSS-Copernicus avionics towards the gradual integration of seamless, efficient, and accurate VCA operations at busy airports and other landing locations in all-weather. While the project is primarily targeting the IAM market, the outcomes will be available and impact to the wider aviation community.
The main objectives of VITOLMINS are:
• Define VCA-Specific Flight Procedures Using EGNSS: Design new flight criteria optimized for VCA capabilities in both visual and instrument conditions, ensuring efficient integration into complex and high-density airspace environments, including busy airports and vertiports.
• Integrate DFMC SBAS Navigation into VCA Platforms: Equip VCAs with a hybrid navigation solution combining inertial sensors and DFMC SBAS to enhance navigation accuracy, robustness, and operational flexibility.
• Accelerate Operational Deployment of EGNSS-Based Air Operations: Bridge the gap between technological availability and actual operational use of EGNSS in aviation, ensuring that VCAs can fully exploit their navigation capabilities from the start, unlike the slower adoption path seen in helicopters.
• Incorporate Copernicus Earth Observation Data into Certified Avionics: Demonstrate the use of satellite imagery products to enhance situational awareness and terrain avoidance systems in VCA operations, improving safety, especially in obstacle-rich environments.
• Promote Standardisation and Certification Pathways: Engage with aviation authorities and standardization bodies to support the evolution of regulatory frameworks for EGNSS-based VCA operations, from VFR to full IFR, through the creation of a dedicated Advisory Committee and alignment with initiatives like the EUSPA FLAG Working Group.
