UAV conflict resolution in AREA U-Space

Kurzfassung

The Airspace Research Area (AREA) U-Space is an internal project by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) to establish a certified U-Space within a Regulatory Sandbox at the DLR National Test Center at the Magdeburg-Cochstedt airport. This Aerodrome Traffic Zone (ATZ)-controlled airspace serves as a real-world laboratory for developing and validating U-Space services (U1–U4) in accordance with European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) regulations. A key focus of this work is conflict detection and resolution among Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), particularly in complex environments comprising airport, forest, industrial, and residential zones. The current work introduces a novel parallel corridor concept to ensure safe and efficient unmanned operations alongside manned aircraft, including the constraints dictated by EASA. UAVs are assigned certain discrete altitude levels and geofenced 4D volumes, which are dynamically generated above or below current flight paths to mitigate conflicts, accommodate new fly zones, and support smooth landing procedures. This approach enhances operational safety and scalability within experimental U-Space airspace.