Air Traffic Management

Dutch Drone Delta
Air Traffic Management

04 December 2019

Facilitating MALE RPAS integration in non-segregated European airspace

NLR is performing a multi-year study in partnership with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems UK (GA-UK), to develop the procedures needed to safely and efficiently integrate Medium Altitude, Long Endurance (MALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) into European Airspace and to ultimately develop a data-driven Concept of Operation (CONOP) to be shared with the European regulatory community.  For the purposes of this research, the MQ-9B SkyGuardian MALE RPAS, designed and manufactured by GA-ASI, is used as an example case study. NLR is now working on the second phase of this project that is to take place from November 2019 to end 2020.

Air Traffic Management

18 June 2019

Integration of the MQ-9B SkyGuardian into European Airspace

NLR has partnered with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) to develop the procedures needed to safely and efficiently integrate Medium Altitude, Long Endurance (MALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) into European Airspace. The first phase of this collaboration culminated on 28-29 May 2019 during which a large-scale simulation exercise was performed at the Amsterdam campus of NLR. The goal of this exercise was to test the first version of the MALE RPA airspace integration procedures, and involved experienced civil Air Traffic Controllers (ATCOs), as well as licenced airliner and RPA pilots. The exercise considered operations from Rotterdam The Hague Airport (EHRD), a civil airport in the Netherlands, and made use of a simulated MQ-9B SkyGuardian MALE RPA, an RPA that is designed and manufactured by GA-ASI.

Air Traffic Management

28 September 2016

Is measuring aircraft noise better?

"The experience of people living near airports is not always in line with the results of noise calculations. They have more confidence in noise measurements, but would a measurement approach also provide more protection?"

Air Traffic Management

19 April 2010

NLR laboratory aircraft inspects volcanic ash cloud

The National Aerospace Laboratory (NLR) laboratory aircraft flew to the volcanic ash cloud yesterday. The purpose of the flight was to verify the atmospheric models used to predict the movements of the ash cloud.