As primary objective of MoNIfly the established concept will finally be validated in detail on a prototype level, where usage of LTE based mobile network will be exploited to create a drone traffic management cloud system. The results of the project will lead towards a common technology to be implemented into future drones for safe and simplified cooperative use. In the end, this project will provide input to rule makers by deriving requirements which new regulations can be based upon using results from the operational validation.
This is relevant research, because the number of drones in low altitude airspace is rising significantly in the last several years, with recent events at Gatwick airport highlighting the necessity of a surveillance system for the low altitude airspace. Even if it cannot handle all cases (as the MoNIfly system is designed to be of cooperative nature), the benefits of a low altitude surveillance system which can be used to track drones and make use of flight restriction zones is obvious.
MoNIfly will demonstrate that the mobile network available almost everywhere (and predominantly in urban areas) can be used to communicate between a central UTM server and individual drones, exchanging information and even override inputs from the operator.