Author name: Kirsten Propitius

U-space Airspace Risk Assessment
Air Traffic Management

19 October 2022

R&D case: U-space airspace risk assessment

U-space, the air traffic control system for drones, is a set of new services relying on a high level of automation. It offers great potential to fly drones simultaneously in complex environments and is regarded as an enabler for Urban Air Mobility. U-space will provide safe integration with manned traffic. Before the establishment of U-space, EC regulation requires the airspace to be designated as “U-space Airspace” and an airspace risk assessment is required.

Tropomi measurement of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in the atmosphere above the Netherlands.
Space Technology

01 October 2022

Blog: The Netherlands loses battle for space

5 years ago on 13 October 2017, climate satellite instrument Tropomi was launched – a great day for the Netherlands and crucial for global climate research. The instrument, which maps the entire Earth’s atmosphere every day, was the icing on the cake for a progressive and innovative Dutch space policy. We led the way in Europe. Now, five years later, the Netherlands is in danger of losing the lead and dangling at the back of the pack in terms of investment. With the upcoming European Space Agency (ESA) ministerial conference in Paris, we need to get back on track and accelerate. Climate, defence, cybersecurity and food security are global issues for which space is decisive for solutions, influence and security of countries. Continued investments in new satellite instruments, however, is a must. We must not lose this battle.

Mission Landing Zones (MILZ) project
Defence and Security

14 September 2022

R&D case: Small and silent drones for mission landing zone reconnaissance

Small and silent drones for mission landing zone reconnaissance. Selecting a good landing zone in an uninhabited area requires a good and extensive exploration of the terrain by specialists. This is a time-consuming activity that sometimes has to be done in silence. Possible locations are identified using digital maps and satellite data, but that data can be outdated and is usually not very detailed. That is why an initial check of the location is needed with current, up-to-date and more accurate recordings. ‘Pathfinders’ are sent ahead by parachute to explore the area with small drones that fit in a backpack, in addition to their survival gear and weapons. In the Mission Landing Zones (MILZ) project, the partner CGI developed software that can automatically identify possible landing zones based on operational criteria and data from maps and satellites. A quick on-site reconnaissance of the possible landing zone is preferred for updating and refining the data

NLR Testrig
Maintenance and Repair

25 August 2022

Softer landings thanks to project ALGesMo: Advanced Landing Gear Sensing and Monitoring

As a passenger on an aircraft, the moment of landing is always full of emotions: the excitement as the objects on the ground start getting bigger and bigger; the runaway coming closer and closer; then -always a bit unexpectedly- the moment of touchdown. And let’s be honest a sigh of relief to be back on solid ground.

Additive Manufacturing (AM) for metal manufacturing
Construction and Manufacturing

25 August 2022

Collaboration is the key ingredient in additive manufacturing

A broad and effective implementation of additive manufacturing technologies requires collaboration. This is essential to enable multidisciplinary projects typical of additive manufacturing, where different phases need to be covered  from conceptual design to certification of a 3D printed part. But next to a technical collaboration, the co-operation and interaction between end-users, manufacturers and researchers is necessary to achieve the best solution possible.