The pace of innovation in air traffic management is picking up, according to an analysis made by the SESAR Joint Undertaking. An assessment of the SESAR 2020 research and development (R&D) programme, using established key performance indicators, shows that the time it takes to deliver mature SESAR Solutions has been reduced by proximately 40 % between the first phase of R&D (SESAR 1) and SESAR 2020.
The analysis points to several factors that have led to this acceleration since the previous R&D programme finished in 2016, notably a clearer scoping of Solutions and establishing an integrated approach to Solutions development and validation.
The assessment also took a look at the SESAR Innovation Pipeline as a mechanism to transform concepts into tangible Solutions, going from exploratory research to industrial research and demonstrations.
Indicators suggest that this Pipeline is proving effective; with the results from 50 % of SESAR’s first batch exploratory projects (14 out 28 projects) now being fed into the second Wave of SESAR 2020 industrial research, which is due to get started by end of 2019. This transfer of results is providing a fresh injection into the programme of technologies such as augmented reality and artificial intelligence, including big data.
At the same time a total of 27 Solutions delivered by the SESAR 1 programme are part of very-large scale demonstrations, allowing stakeholders to see how the Solutions work in real operational environments and encouraging swift uptake by industry.
The assessment also indicated that over 90% of the R&D priorities outlined in European ATM Master Plan (2015 edition) are covered by SESAR 2020.
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Check out some examples of SESAR solutions implemented across Europe
