New Technologies for Intelligent Transportation based on Autonomous Air Mobility
iMOV3D project logo
Financier
File Number: CER-20191007
Call for Proposals: Accreditation and Granting of Aid to “Cervera” Technological Centers of Excellence
Partners
- FADA-CATEC
- ITG
- NAITEC
- AICIA
Summary
The main objective of the iMOV3D initiative is to create a network of excellence, centered on the Cervera Intelligent Transport Technology Area, through which the development of advanced technologies and functionalities related to autonomous air mobility will be promoted, with the aim of addressing the paradigm shift facing transportation infrastructure today.
In recent decades, there has been exponential growth in the urban population, which is expected to continue in the coming years. This increase has placed increasing pressure on our mobility infrastructure, necessitating a shift in the landscape that requires designing cities in three dimensions, rather than on a ground-based plane as has been the case until now. Autonomous Air Mobility will enable a paradigm shift in smart transportation.
The iMOV3D group is made up of four established centers that together possess the research capabilities necessary to address the technological challenges posed by this new mode of transportation.
- Research capacity in safe autonomous aerial systems. One of these main challenges lies in vehicle autonomy, enabling unmanned flights and thus exponentially scaling the solution, thereby increasing the safety level of these types of operations that must operate at short distances from obstacles.
The group has extensive experience in the development of high-precision navigation algorithms, the design of new sensors for extended-range detection and real-time collision avoidance algorithms, smart and safe landing, and the development of new intrinsically safe aircraft concepts. - Research capacity in automated and digital systems for safe airspace integration. Another challenge posed by this new form of mobility is safe airspace integration, for which it is essential to develop air traffic control management tools that are much more digital and automated than those currently available.
The group has extensive experience in the fields of tracking and sensor fusion, tactical conflict detection and resolution, coordinated trajectory planning, and separation management. - Research capacity in intelligent cooperative systems. The final challenge is the incorporation of these new mobility vehicles into the SmartCity ecosystem.
The group’s expertise in intelligent and highly integrated avionics, new interfaces for remote monitoring of autonomous aerial vehicles, and 5G communications and security will be leveraged.
These research capabilities cover the entire value chain needed to contribute to the development of new paradigms for air mobility and intelligent transportation based on autonomous aerial systems.
By achieving this project, the technological centers FADA-CATEC, ITG, NAITEC and the technological center for research support AICIA, have been distinguished as “Cervera Center of Excellence” in relation to Intelligent Transport and received aid for the PROGRAM NEW TECHNOLOGIES FOR INTELLIGENT TRANSPORT BASED ON AUTONOMOUS AIR MOBILITY (IMOV3D)” (File: CER-20191007) through the Center for Industrial Technological Development (CDTI) dependent on the Ministry of Science and Innovation.
CATEC’s role in the project
The Advanced Aerospace Technology Center (CATEC) is a technology center focused on the aeronautical sector with more than 12 years of experience developing technologies for unmanned aerial systems (UAS), including new technologies that enable the integration of autonomous aerial vehicles in airspace and high-precision navigation systems. It also has extensive experience developing applications with unmanned aerial systems and a strong presence in working groups related to the new European UAS regulation.
FADA-CATEC’s Avionics and Systems division will participate in this initiative and has extensive experience in the following lines of research and development related to autonomous air mobility: intelligent navigation, real-time autonomous decision-making systems for aerial vehicles, airspace integration, U-space functionalities, and multi-vehicle systems. In fact, FADA-CATEC has participated in more than 100 R&D&I projects related to iMOV3D technologies over the last 10 years and for more than 75 different clients. Of these projects, 21 have been European projects (9 FP7 and 12 H2020), with FADA-CATEC leading three of them and currently coordinating the PILOTING project. FADA-CATEC currently has a team of researchers made up of more than 25 highly qualified people. He also has over 90 publications in journals and conferences, and four patents related to autonomous aerial systems and the subject matter of the current iMOV3D initiative.
In particular, CATEC will work on:
- Development of technologies to achieve a high level of operational autonomy to increase the safety of air operations.
- Development of technologies aimed at increasing the density of autonomous aerial systems operations in airspace by leveraging advanced U-space capabilities.
- Development of technologies aimed at integrating autonomous aerial systems into the SmartCity ecosystem, including 5G communications and security-related aspects.
- Validation experiments for different technologies to increase their technological maturity and facilitate subsequent technology transfer.
- Training programs and dissemination of results.
contact person
Dr. Antidio Viguria, CTO Avionics and Systems.
Email: aviguria@catec.aero