M3 SYSTEMS, PIPISTREL, VOLOCOPTER COMPLETE DECONFLICTION TESTS

M3 Systems, air traffic (ATM) and management unmanned aerial systems (UAS) operator, light and electric aircraft manufacturer, Pipistrel and Volocopter, a pioneer of urban air mobility (UAM), have completed their first joint flight test campaign in France at Pontoise airfield.

The week-long flight tests three different manoeuvres simulated avoidance in real-world situations where unforeseen circumstances occur, such as a complete airport or vertiport closure, an unavailable final approach and take-off (FATO) area and traffic deconfliction. This joint campaign between the three companies and the French partners, Groupe ADP and its wholly-owned subsidiary Hologarde, aimed to achieve smooth interaction within and between the new lower airspace's unmanned traffic management (UTM) and standard civil aviation ATM systems.

The aviation industry is experiencing an innovation upsurge driven by technology and societal pressure for new forms of aviation focused on sustainable, digital and autonomous air mobility. The resulting solutions that cater to this industry shift will generate a significant increase in traffic density in the aforementioned lower airspace. Since existing ATM systems are not designed to handle such volumes or digitalisation, harmonising existing and new traffic management systems for brand-new aircraft integration will ensure efficient largescale operations. This includes commercial, general and drone aircraft for flights, both crewed and uncrewed. cargo and passenger