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Drone-based Radio Aid Measuring System

Project description

Drone-based flight inspection solution

Navigational aids such as the radio-based instrument landing system (ILS) are markers that guide pilots to land safely, even in reduced visibility conditions. The very high frequency omnidirectional radio range (VOR) is a short-range radio navigation system for aircraft that allows them to determine their position and stay on course. However, the market has relied on manned flight inspection aircrafts to perform calibration and ensure proper operation. The Spain-based company CANARD has developed a hardware/software drone-based radio aid measuring system (DRAMS) solution that allows the calibration and inspection of ILS and VOR systems in a more precise, rapid and cost-efficient way. The EU-funded DRAMS project will exploit the first-mover effect to create a blue ocean market inside the mature flight inspection market for this new technology.

Objective

Drone-based Radio Aid Measuring System [DRAMS] solution comprises calibration and inspection of ILS and VOR systems, usually termed Flight Inspection, which is a cornerstone for the air traffic navigation and the safe landing of airplanes in all airports. CANARD drone technology, based on the state-of-the-art unmanned aircrafts, is a novel approach to allow more precise, rapid and cost-efficient Flight Inspection.
Background: In air navigation, safety and efficiency are top priorities. The need to ensure safe landing led to the creation of navigational aids (also known Navaids), which are markers that help pilots to land. In aviation, the Instrument Landing System [ILS] is the most commonly used landing aid in the world. This radio-based system precisely guides aircraft pilots along the correct landing course, even in reduced visibility. Meanwhile, Very-high-frequency Omnidirectional Radio range [VOR] is a type of short-range radio navigation system for aircraft, enabling them to determine their position and stay on course by receiving radio signals transmitted by ground beacons. For several decades, the market has relied on manned Flight Inspection Aircrafts to do this calibration and ensure proper operation.
DRAMS follow a procedures-hardware-software paradigm: A set of operational procedures is performed by a drone equipped with sensors and the gathered data is processed by custom developed software. The software will be developed a way that a single drone with interchangeable sensors and a single App can perform different tasks.
Key advantages of DRAMS’ approach are: Inexpensive, readily available, safe, reliable, eco-friendly and compliant to standards
DRAMS will harness the first-mover effect to create a Blue Ocean market inside the mature Flight Inspection market. Our initial market forecast shows that by achieving just 3,75% of the total ILS/VOR inspection market (€336M) we will reach the break even point in 2023 and accumulated revenues of €12,6M by 2025.

Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) H2020-EIC-SMEInst-2018-2020

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Coordinator

CANARD DRONES SL
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 50 000,00
Address
AVDA GREGORIO PECES BARBA 1
28919 LEGANES
Spain

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SME

The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.

Yes
Region
Comunidad de Madrid Comunidad de Madrid Madrid
Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
Links
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 71 429,00
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