Galileo-EGNOS as an Asset for UTM Safety and Security

Project Information

GAUSS

Grant agreement ID: 776293

DOI

10.3030/776293

Project closed

EC signature date 27 February 2018

Start date 1 March 2018

End date 31 December 2021

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies – Space

Total cost

€ 3 695 758,31

EU contribution

€ 2 972 489,49

Coordinated by

EVERIS AEROESPACIAL Y DEFENSA SL
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - GAUSS (Galileo-EGNOS as an Asset for UTM Safety and Security)

Reporting period: 2019-09-01 to 2021-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

GAUSS (Galileo-EGNOS as an Asset for UTM Safety and Security) is a H2020 project that aims at developing a high performance positioning system for drones within the U-Space framework focusing on VLL (Very Low Level) UAS (Unmanned Aircraft System) operations. GAUSS is based on multi-constellation GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) together with internal sensors data fusion and one of its key elements is the integration and exploitation of Galileo and EGNOS exceptional features in terms of accuracy, integrity and security, which will be key assets for the safety of current and future drone operations.

More concretely, high accuracy, authentication, integrity information and precise timing are some key GNSS enablers of future integrated drone operations under UTM (UAS Traffic Management) operations, which in Europe is being deployed under U-Space.

As a concise view, the main objectives of this project could be summarized as:
1. Precision of individual estimated positioning.
2. Safety for UAS and UTM operations.
3. Security and cyber-resilience in UAS and UTM operations.
4. Coordination among UAS within the same airspace.
5. Compatibility with Open and Specific EASA drone operational categories.

All the objectives of the project have been accomplished. It has been demonstrated that it is feasible to do a coordinated operation of different UAS using UTM systems based on GALYLEO & EGNOS technologies. And the predictions and reliability of GALILEO & EGNOS allowed the safe and precise coordinated flight between the different UAS.

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

GAUSS project started officially on March 1st 2018 and ended on December 31st December 2021. The seven work packages (WP) have been successfully executed, these are the work performed and main results achieved:

WP1: Project Management
In order to provide project management infrastructure and support several actions have been taken:
• The management infrastructure, procedures and quality standards have been set up and maintained.
• Financial supervision of partners’ costs has been undertaken to ensure project is in budget.
• Several high level meetings have been arranged, being the kick-off meeting, some consortium meetings and the midterm meeting the most relevant ones.
• Collaboration and synergies between partners have been fostered.
• Advisory board has been consolidated
• Management and launch of three amendments of the Grant Agreement

WP2: UTM Operational Framework
The GAUSS-UTM Operational Concept provided relevant conceptual developments for the future European UTM Concept of Operations focusing on GAUSS scope, and it also underpinned the technological developments which are to be carried out along the project. In this sense, the development basis was the recognition that the positioning service will be principally based on GNSS, due to the availability, continuity, integrity and accuracy of the navigation signals. A group of capabilities were envisaged for the technical realisation of the GAUSS-UTM system, which are aligned with the expected U-Space services, considering U1 and U2 level of deployment. In order to do so, this WP2 specified operationally and functionally the GAUSS-UTM system considering the available descriptions of the services.

WP3: RPAS Precise Positioning & Orientation
After completing the analysis of GAUSS RPAS dynamics, operational requisites and avionics systems, the design of integral RPAS positioning and orientation solution was completed and delivered. The development of the positioning and orientation solution was concluded and reported. The unitary test RPAS could be performed in a flight campaign was performed with a different drone.

WP4: EGNSS Signal Integrity & Security
• Completion of the GNSS Security module software development
• Identification of a verification plan targeting the GNSS Security module
• Definition of integrated functional tests referred to RPA system
• Remote support to Second trials campaign
• Identification of dissemination activities (in WP7 framework) to disseminate WP4 activities and related work product

WP5: UTM Technologies
The goal of this work package is the assessment and development of algorithms and functionalities that will allow a UA to operate under a UTM framework. More specifically, in the first period an assessment and design of UTM infrastructure technologies was completed. In the second period of the project the focus was developing safe operation functionalities for UTM, security issues related to UTM communication and integration with surveillance technologies (ADS-B).

WP6: Integration, Trials and Validation
The work package 6 deliverables include the Integration and experimental methodology plan (including experimental requirements, metrics, setup, ground-truth measurements and results assessment methodology), the Integrated prototype, the Integrated functional tests results report, the First and Second trials results reports (including events, results and lessons learnt) and a Performance results analysis and conclusions (including comparison of results against ground-truth measurements, residual risk assessment and evaluation of objectives KPI as well as recommendations in terms of methodology, future regulation and standards).

WP7: Communication, Exploitation and Dissemination
The main goal with this WP is to raise awareness of the GAUSS system and ensure solid exploitation opportunities when the system is developed, at the end of the project. Several actions have been performed:
• Periodic publications on internet.
• Attendance to international events and workshops.
• Organization of two workshops.
• Publications on scientific and business journals.
• Contact establishment with other R&D projects.

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 tasks that have been performed are likely to and redefine some of the concepts that are currently being used. As of now, the main keys of the impact of GAUSS project in the state of art are:

1. The use of single motion differences and data fusion with other sensors in a tight graph-based optimization scheme. The relative position and absolute orientation accuracies are expected to be beyond actual stand-alone solutions. This might have economic impact with GNSS receiver manufacturers becoming interested in the GAUSS solution.

2. Holistic vision from operational and functional perspectives of a future UTM based on the current U-Space approach. The Concept of Operations (ConOps) for UTM is still an ongoing work and technical demonstrators are required to demonstrate the feasibility of these new airspace users. A group of capabilities are consolidated for the technical development of the GAUSS-UTM system, which have been aligned with the expected U-Space services.

3. Development of algorithms and functionalities for U-space in-flight services, in which Galileo/EGNOS provides better performance than other GNSS solutions; such as UTM simulators and tactical deconfliction services.

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