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Project ATOMICUS

Advanced Traffic Organization and Management of Intelligent Cargo Unmcrewed Systems
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Project Overview

The safe and efficient use of cargo drones in UK airspace to transport items such as medical supplies or aircraft spare parts is a huge opportunity. But the use of commercial drones at airports alongside traditional passenger aircraft is not without its risks.

We’re working with a consortium of partners to help manages those risks and support autonomous drone technology and the wider drone cargo market.

Project partners and their roles
  • Cirium - is responsible for leading and driving the project forward, the development of the UTM Core (subset), Supplementary Data Service Provider (SDSP), ATM Data Provider, Data Broker, API & Data Expertise

  • University of Southampton - Operations & Expertise Role: Experienced drone operator, flyer, and safety case expertise across multiple BVLOS trials

  • Neuron Innovations Ltd - Operations & Technology Role: Intra stakeholder trusted data protocols and secure exchange technology implementation with key individuals involved in ARPAS, a serving BA pilot and ATC expert, BVLOS Safety Case specialist

  • ANRA Technologies UK Ltd - Operations & Technology Role: UTM Service Provider (UTMSP), UTM Core (subset), drone operations planning, operational monitoring network Remote ID, and Operator support – NASA, FAA and UK Trial experience

  • Distributed Avionics Ltd - Operations & Technology Role: Drone avionics and telemetry provision via ground station and simulation capabilities, currently supporting multiple BVLOS UK trials

  • Connected Places Catapult - responsible for providing project management expertise and ensuring IUK governance processes are managed. Leading the Safety Case & CONOPs development with ANRA, providing expertise of the Open Access UTM Architecture and related artifacts & lead dissemination activities for the project

The ATOMICUS project is one of over 40 projects in the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Future Flight Challenge programme. The project is in phase two of the Challenge, receiving a share of a £30 million grant awarded by the UK government. Across all the Future Flight Challenge phases, the funding for all the projects will total around £125 million.

The primary aim of ATOMICUS is to de-risk the launch of a desirable and profitable Automated Mobility Service, ATOMICUS has brought together a value chain of key partners. The key objectives of ATOMICUS project are:

1. To create and demonstrate the digital infrastructure and operational procedures that will allow uncrewed cargo systems to safely and efficiently share the airspace and under utilised ground infrastructure with crewed aircraft.

2. To develop and demonstrate a concept of operations (CONOPS) and safety case, enabling scalable Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) operation and airport ground operations integration.

3. To demonstrate the ability to provide logistics between airports and airfields, demonstrating the capacity to, as part of a planned, sequenced flight, with an allocated slot, safely operate a drone through controlled airspace to land at a manned airport and arrive at a 'gate'.

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