Runway independent automatic launch and landing system for civil UAV based on GroLaS

Project Information

REALISE GroLaS

Grant agreement ID: 684795

DOI

10.3030/684795

Project closed

EC signature date 23 May 2015

Start date 1 June 2015

End date 30 November 2015

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Smart, Green And Integrated Transport

Total cost

€ 71 429,00

EU contribution

€ 50 000,00

Coordinated by

INGENIEURE MARQUARDT & BINNEBESEL, PARTNERSCHAFT
Germany

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - REALISE GroLaS (Runway independent automatic launch and landing system for civil UAV based on GroLaS)

Reporting period: 2015-06-01 to 2015-11-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

mb+Partner (MBP), founded in 2008, is a SME located in the aviation innovation hub of Hamburg, Germany. The company offers specialist services for development of advanced technologies for aircraft design. MBP has developed and patented a technology to enable Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to take-off and land using a mobile ground-based landing gear system (GroLaS) thereby dispensing with the need for an undercarriage. This reduces the weight of the UAV enabling extra payload, and reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. It also increases operational flexibility for UAVs by enabling them to operate independent of existing runway infrastructure.
As patent holder with an established business network and the commitment of significant industry partners to the GroLaS technology, MBP is uniquely positioned to grow with the rapidly developing UAV market currently worth $6.4 billion p.a. and expected to almost double within the next ten years.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The REALISE GroLaS feasibility study verified the technological and economic feasibility of the GroLaS-technology in the envisaged UAV market. In parallel, the Phase 2 innovation project has been designed and the exploitation strategy prepared. Interviews with UAV manufacturers as potential customers have served to refine system specifications. Potential partners and production sites have been identified, evaluated and selected. Launch customers to be involved in the innovation project have been selected. A detailed competitor analysis confirms that GroLaS is currently the only operationally reasonable option for a combined ground-based launch and landing system for many UAV types.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The study shows the UAV market to be even more attractive than initially thought.
MBP expects market launch within three years after start of phase 2. MBP aims to become a leading supplier of combined launch and landing systems for UAV in its segments within five years of product launch in the relevant segments of Mini UAV, Medium UAV and HAPS UAV (High Altitude Pseudo Satellites).
MBP as system integrator together with its manufacturer expects to create 35 jobs directly and another 40 jobs indirectly (suppliers, services etc.) within five years after product launch.

REALISE GroLaS