VTT project creates multi-use UAS vision and recommends actions for boosting U-space

The VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland has revealed details of the Innovative Air Mobility as Operator Business (AIMO) project it has been working on this year. The AIMO team, led by VTT and comprising seven cities and seven companies* examined the preconditions for the uncrewed aviation fleet operator business from the perspectives of demand and the service offering. 

During the project, a joint future vision that will enable actors in the sector to start developing the future in a common direction, was created. In this vision, a new ecosystem based on dual-use principles will be developed in the country to produce aviation solutions for the civil and defence industries. “fleet operators will provide the capabilities needed for drone services so that various service providers can easily and efficiently produce carbon-neutral logistics and aerial imaging services for public and private organisations and consumers in urban and rural areas,” VTT said.

In an example scenario, VTT described how a multi-use operation could transport goods for customer A while simultaneously imaging the environment along its route to update the digital model for customer B and also observe an industrial site owned by customer C, where a safety alarm has triggered. 

“This multi-purpose feature will allow fleet operators to operate their drones 24/7 at a high utilisation rate and provide scalable benefits for all actors in the value network,” VTT said. “Safety features, such as collision prevention, communication connections and mechanisms for managing fault situations, will be standardised, particularly in densely populated areas.”

VTT notes challenges in the sector, such as the slow growth of business operations, unrealised nature of scalable benefits, and the demographic and climatic conditions in Finland. Regulation of the safety-critical aviation sector set by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and Traficom and the need to improve acceptance also present their own challenges. However, VTT sees challenges as opportunities too.

“One way to do it is to get a sufficient number of actors who believe in the growing business of drone solutions activated throughout the value network in Finland. The fleet operator business model that is the main target of the AIMO project makes business growth possible. This business model is expected to lead to the emergence of several competing fleet operators in Finland, which will offer large drone fleets operating over extensive geographic areas, needed equipment and ground infrastructure as well as the support staff for operations – including pilots, marketing, sales, administration and ground service production personnel. 

“Long-term collaboration between private and public sector actors and authorities is needed to promote the creation of new business opportunities. It is particularly important to involve risk financiers alongside the research and development projects because this will enable the rapid development of technologies and alternative platform economy business models towards new, growing and international business.”

The AIMO project resulted in several proposals for public administration to implement to boost the uncrewed aviation business in Finland:

• A joint official request for information/request for quote process supported by VTT and led by municipalities and cities in order to assess demand and supply for public and private sector services and test the service offering and future fleet operator business model.
• Production of planning instructions for municipalities related to land use planning, structural matters and dimensions for implementing ground operations as urban cooperation with the support of VTT.
• A more extensive research and development project portfolio for implementing ground operations led by VTT, with the goal of making Finland a pilot country in terms of reaching international markets.
• VTT’s ongoing LUC (Light UAS operator certificate) certification process, which enables versatile business-based experiments for companies participating in service production throughout Finland. In addition, VTT can serve as a temporary service provider with partners in establishing U-space/CIS services (air traffic control) to create the preconditions for BVLOS operations in an extensive operating area.
• The results of AIMO project should be taken into consideration in the Airspace 2027 reform preparation work.

The AIMO project was carried out during January–June 2024. 

* The participants and funders of the project were seven cities: Espoo, Helsinki, Mikkeli, Oulu, Rovaniemi, Seinäjoki and Tampere as well as seven companies: Anarky Labs, Eminus Industries, Fimlab, Flyk, Jotus, Sitowise and Tuomi Logistics. Innoavia and Fintraffic ANS were also actively involved in implementation of the project.