Past Projects

Projects already terminated.

APACHE

Assessment of Performance in current ATM operations and of new Concepts of operations for its Holistic Enhancement

Initial date: 9 May 2016 -- Final date: 8 May 2018

Programme: H2020 (SESAR Exploratory Research)

Grant agreement: 699338

Partners: UPC, ALG, ENAC, University of Belgrade

Project coordinator: UPC
UPC team: Marc Melgosa, Leonardo Camargo-Forero, Ramon Dalmau, Cristina Barrado, Xavier Prats
UPC Principal Investigator: Xavier Prats

Project website

Overview

The APACHE project proposes a new framework to assess European ATM performance based on simulation, optimization and performance assessment tools that will be able to capture complex interdependencies between key performance areas (KPAs).

R-WAKE

Wake Vortex simulation and analysis to enhance en-route separation management in Europe.

Initial date: 1 Apr 2016 -- Final date: 31 Mar 2018

Programme: H2020 (SESAR Exploratory Research)

Grant agreement: 699247

Partners: GTD, UPC, TUBS, A-SYST, Deep Blue, M3Systems

Project coordinator: GTD
UPC team: Marc Melgosa, Laura Hernández, Ramon Dalmau, Enric Pastor, Xavier Prats
UPC Principal Investigator: Xavier Prats

Project website

Overview

R-Wake aims at developing a simulation framework to assess the risk and hazards of potential wake vortex encounters for the en- route phase of flight. Wake vortex issues in terminal manoeuvring areas (TMA), and especially in the final approach and initial take-off segments are well known and have received a particular attention in the last decades. The consideration of wake vortex hazards in the en-route phase, however, is fairly novel and it is becoming an important aspect to assess if we take into account new concepts of operations, based upon: a more efficient aircraft trajectory management; higher volumes of traffic; more heterogeneous traffic; and, reduced or refined separation margins.

AIRPORTS

Initial date: May 2015 -- Final date: Nov 2018

Program: Outsourcing for a CDTI project (contracted by Ikusi)

UPC team: Oscar Maldonado, Marc Melgosa, Miguel Valero, Marc Aicart, Xavier Prats
UPC Principal Investigator: Xavier Prats

Partners:

Boeing Research & EUROPE Technology Europe, S.L.U
Centro de Referencia Investigación e Innovación ATM, A.I.E. (CRIDA)
Ángel Iglésias, S.A. (IKUSI)
Militartecnologie Dienst Und Uberwachung S.A. (MDU)
Microelectrónica Maser S.L.
Ixion Industry & Aerospace, S.L
Skylife Engineering S.L.

Associated research Centres or Universities :

Universidad de Valladolid
Universidad de León
Universidad Politécnica de Madrid
Universidad Politécnica de Cataluña
Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona
Universidad de Granada
Fundación Tecnalia Resarch & Innovation (TECNALIA)
Asociación de Investigación Cooperación Industrial de Andalucía (AICIA)
Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aerospacial (INTA)
Fundación Andaluza para el Desarrollo Aerospacial (FADA-CATEC)

Overview

The project tackles the development of technology solutions that contribute to modernize and improve the air transportation system from a multidisciplinary perspective, considering both air and ground operations. Research and development initiative aimed at developing technologies and capabilities to enable the implementation of trajectory and perforamnce based operations (TBO and PBO) in the airport context, considering operations and processes affecting both aircraft and ground vehicles. The project embraces a holistic approach, considering both analysis and experimentation and culminating in proofs of concept and integrated use case scenarios that demonstrate advanced technology solutions that enhance airport operations.

ENJAMBRE

Cooperative flight with manned and unmanned aerial systems for critical and emergency missions

Initial date: Jan 2016 -- Final date: Dec 2018

Program: Outsourcing for a CDTI project (contracted by Pildo Labs)

UPC team: Marc Melgosa, Ramon Dalmau, Xavier Prats
UPC Principal Investigator: Xavier Prats

Partners:

Inaer Helicópteros
Coreman S.L.U.
Álava Ingenieros
Tecnosylva
Temai
Pildo Labs

Associated research Centres or Universities :

Universidad de Córdoba
Fundación Andaluza para el Desarrollo Aerospacial (FADA-CATEC)
Universidad de Alicante
Universidad Politècnica de Catalunya
ITMATI
Universidad de León

Budapest2.0

Sponsor: SESAR JU

Initial date: Oct 2014 -- Final date: Dec 2016

Funding scheme: SESAR JU

Contract Number: SJU/LC/0281-CTR

Partners: Pildo Labs, Hungarocontrol, Wizzair, UPC, Slot Consulting Ltd.
Project Leader: Pildo Labs
UPC team: Ramon Dalmau, Xavier Prats
UPC Principal Investigator: Xavier Prats

Overview

The project aims to conduct several demonstration activities including merge-strip operations for CDAs, the introduction of novel required navigation performance (RNP) procedures and remote tower activities at Budapest airport and terminal maneuvering area.

SESAR WP-E HALA! PhD

Sponsors: SESAR WP-E and ASCAM

Initial date: Jun 2012 -- Final date: Jun 2016

Contract Number: 10-220210 (HALA! network)

Partners: UPC
Project Coordinator: UPC
UPC team: Xavier Prats, Enric Pastor
UPC Principal Investigator: Xavier Prats

Overview

HALA! is a Research Network established within the framework of SESAR WP-E to spearhead long term and innovative research in ATM in pursuit of the SESAR 2020 vision and beyond . HALA is the acronym for “Higher Automation Levels in ATM” which is also the focus of the network. HALA! places PhD research at the core of its activities as a vital component in the achievement of its goals. Every two years HALA! shall ask participants to propose PhD projects on any topic in the area of ‘Automation in Air Traffic Management’ that will be funded by the Research Network. This PhD is co-funded by HALA! network and ASCAMM-CTAE.

In this PhD, it is proposed to investigate data fusion methods to improve the assessment of hazardous situations along 4D trajectories. Then, performance metrics such as accuracy, integrity, availability, continuity and other applicable parameters to support performance-based operations will be assessed and will serve as a basis for robust 4D trajectory optimisation. Thus, it is expected to develop a whole optimisation framework for aircraft trajectories, while defining the ground automation system and associated decision support tools; and to study the data performance for trajectory modelling, description, exchange and de-confliction requirements. This methodology will be applied in two challenging scenarios: operations in high density TMAs (Terminal Manoeuvring Areas) and oceanic (or remote) operations.

PhD candidate: Santi Vilardaga
PhD temptative title: Robust data fusion for 4D conflict-free optimal trajectories in a highly automated ATM system

ERAINT

Sponsor: SESAR JU

Initial date: Jul 2013 -- Final date: Jan 2016

Funding scheme: SESAR Workpackage - E

Contract Number: xxx

Partners: UPC, LevelCo, Nexodynamics
Project Coordinator: UPC
UPC team: Enric Pastor, Cristina Barrado, Marc Pérez-Batlle, Pablo Royo, Raul Cuadrado, Xavier Prats.
UPC Principal Investigator: Enric Pastor

Overview

Project ERAINT will study and evaluate how RPAS (remotelly piloted aicraft systems) operational peculiarities interfere with ATM, performance limitations prescribe specific separation maneuvers, and remote management of contingencies (lost link included) requires reducing the uncertainty level of RPAS emergency management. All three aspects will be coupled with inherent requirement of improved automation, workload analysis and evaluation of airspace control capacity when a RPAS fly’s through it. Along the project, RPAS will behave as a mission-oriented airspace user that exploits automation in most of its operations and that may even become autonomous at times. Our goal is to provide a well-defined concept of operation (and outline the required automation supporting systems) for the operation under nominal ATC control, but also to manage loss of separation, in-flight contingencies, and autonomous procedures to respond to lost-link situations. RPAS collision avoidance will not be addressed to avoid overlapping with the EU MIDCAS project. VFR and airfield environments are not tackled either.

GRAIN2

Sponsor: European commission. 7th framework programme

Initial date: Nov 2013 -- Final date: Nov 2015

Funding Scheme: Coordination and support actions (CSA)

Reference:

European Partners:
CIMNE, AIRBUS, EUROCONTROL, Honeywell Aerospace, EADS-IW, Numeca International, DLR, NLR, INRIA, CERFACS, CIRA, Von Karman Institute, FOI, Leitat Technological Center, Airborne Technology Center, Sheffield University, Manchester University, Cranfield University, UPC-ICARUS, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Aachen University

Chinese Partners:
Chinese Aeronautical Establishment, First Aircraft Institute, AVIC Commercial Aircraft Engine Co. Ltd., Aircraft Strength Research Institute, Aeronautical Computational Technique Research Institute, AVIC Aerodynamics Research Institute, Beijing Institute of Aeronautical Materials, China Gas Turbine Technology Research Institute, Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Beihang University, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Zhejiang University, Xi'an Jiaotong University, HuaZhong university of Science and Technology, ChongQing University, Institute of Acoustics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Dalian institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Science
Project Coordinator: CIMNE
UPC team: Xavier Prats
UPC Principal Investigator: Xavier Prats

Project Web Page

Overview

GRAIN has been an international networking project co-funded by the 7th Framework Program (FP07) and by the China Ministry of Industry and Information Technologies Industry Corporation (MIIT). This project has been coordinated by CIMNE and several of the new GRAIN2 Consortium (have) and will participate(d) to both of them. This collaborative projects gathered experts on the two Europe (17) and China (13) sides to strengthen cooperation, exchanges and forums on the future trends in the five (5) Key Green Technologies (KGT). RTD interest, skills, and experiences of Chinese and European partners in the relevant green KGT areas of multi physics modeling, simulation and multidisciplinary design have been identified through a series of dissemination events including short course (at VKI), workshops and horizon forums including technical and strategic round tables. The main outcomes of the GRAIN Project have launched both the prospection of greener RTD areas activities and the identification of teams for future FP8 EU-China Coordinated calls.

The main objective of GRAIN2 is to focus its greening activities following the Flight Path 2050 Vision for Aircraft en route to the very ambitious challenge “Protecting the environment and the energy supply” in three major following lines: i) greening the air vehicle, ii) greening the Air transport System and iii) Reducing the carbon foot print of aviation via sustainable alternative fuels. To achieve carefully these objectives five Key Greener Technologies are considered. Four (4) KGTs are vertical areas:

KGT1: Propulsion related green technologies (including NOx reduction, contrails, mission modeling, alternative fuels, …)
KGT2: Airframe Flight Physics (including Drag reduction, noise reduction, HPC innovative architecture, numerical simulation, …)
KGT3: Environmental friendly materials and structures (including Smart structures and materials, bio-sourced materials, composite technologies, metal alloys, surface coatings, structural health monitoring, …)
KGT4: CNS (Communications Navigation and Surveillance)/ATM for greener air transport

CONCORDE: Flight Operations for Novel Continuous Descents

Sponsor: CleanSky JU

Initial date: Mar 2014 -- Final date: Dec 2015

ITD Area: Systems for Green Operations (SGO)

Reference: ITD-SGO-03-021/620130

ITD Manager: NLR (Nationaal Lucht-en Ruimtevaartlaboratorium)
Partners: Pildo Labs, UPC
Project Coordinator: Pildo Labs
UPC team: Ramon Dalmau, Xavier Prats
UPC Principal Investigator: Xavier Prats

Overview
CONCORDE is a CleanSky project in the Integrated Technology Demonstrators (ITD) area of Systems for Green Operations (SGO) and workpackage of Management of Trajectory and Mission (MTM). The aim of CONCORDE is to define, prepare, perform and analise two flight simulator experiments, as a first step before to a final Flight Test of advanced continuous descent approaches (CDA). The project will support the aircraft integration process prior to the flight tests. The concept of operations of advanced 4D trajectories using state of the art trajectory optimisaiton and re-planning algorithms and controller to pilot data link communications (CPDLC) will be evaluated in the project. CONCORDE consortium is formed by engineers from Pildo Labs and UPC and three qualified Captains, the three of them with Airbus A330 type ratings, along with instructor and examiner qualifications.

FASTOP: Fast optimiser for continuous descent approaches

Sponsor: CleanSky JU
Initial date: Nov 2012 -- Final date: Feb 2014

ITD Area: Systems for Green Operations (SGO)

Reference: ITD-SGO-03-017/323495

ITD Manager: NLR (Nationaal Lucht-en Ruimtevaartlaboratorium)
Partners: GTD, UPC, ASCAMM-CTAE
Project Coordinator: GTD
UPC team: Xavier Prats, Cristina Barrado, Marc Pérez-Batlle
UPC Principal Investigator: Xavier Prats

Overview
FASTOP is a CleanSky project in the Integrated Technology Demonstrators (ITD) area of Systems for Green Operations (SGO) and workpackage of Management of Trajectory and Mission (MTM). The objective of FASTOP is to develop a fast optimisation algorithm for continuous descent approaches based on previous NLR developments using time and energy models. FASTOP will solve a complex and highly non-linear optimal control problem by using direct collocation techniques and non linear programming (NLP). The project will also address certification and industrial considerations in order to make an step further in the Technology Readiness Level (TRL). The resulting optimisation algorithm is expected to run in (near-) real-time and will be integrated in the NLR's APERO research flight simulator for a final validation.

ICARUS-II: Intelligent Communications and Avionics for Robust Unmanned Aerial Systems II

Sponsor: Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation
Initial date: Jan 2011 -- Final date: Dec 2013

Programme: CICYT
Reference: TIN2010-18989
Partners: UPC
Project Coordinator: UPC
UPC team: Enric Pastor, Cristina Barrado, Eduard Santamaria, Pablo Royo, Juan Lopez, Xavier Prats, Luis Delgado, Jorge Ramirez, Esther Salamí, Miguel Valero
UPC Principal Investigator: Enric Pastor

Overview

This research project focus on the development of new hardware and software architectures to control the mission and pay-load in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). The objective is the research on new technology for the control systems, giving the UAVs full operative capacity. The focus of the research are the following concepts: easy development, flexibility, interoperability and cost reduction.

Smooth UAV: Evaluation and new strategies for the smooth integration of civil mission oriented UAV in non-segregated airspace.

Sponsor: Eurocontrol

Initial date: Jun 2008 -- Final date: May 2013

Programme: Research grants
Reference: A07/12075BE
Partners: UPC
Project Coordinator: UPC
UPC team: Enric Pastor, Cristina Barrado, Eduard Santamaria, Pablo Royo, Juan Lopez, Xavier Prats, Luis Delgado, Jorge Ramirez
UPC Principal Investigator: Enric Pastor

Project Web Page

Overview

In a near future, operative UAVs will fly over large extensions of airspace following non-traditional patterns. Their objective will not be moving from one point to the other but to monitor portions of terrain or some natural phenomena. This project is assessing the challenges that will arise, from an ATM point of view, this kind of operations in civil non-segregated airspace.

MIMA: Mission and Management for UAS. A technology evaluator.

Sponsor: CIDEM - Generalitat de Catalunya
Initial date: Dec 2009 -- Final date: Dec 2011

Programme: VALTEC projects
Reference: 09-2-0099

Partners: UPC
Project Coordinator: UPC
UPC team: Pablo Royo, Esther Salamí, Enric Pastor, Cristina Barrado
UPC Principal Investigator: Enric Pastor

Overview

Forest fires are an important problem for many countries. The economical loss is the most visible impact in the short term. The ecological damage and the impact on the wild life diversity and climate change are the most important factors in the long term. Up to now, satellites like NASAs MODIS system have been the primary source for strategic large area thermal imaging. Tactical monitoring has been until recently reduced to observation from the ground or from some dedicated aerial resource like command and control helicopters. However, little technological support has been available to those in charge of these monitoring tasks.A UAS platform capable of over flying the area of a forest fire and with capacity of operating from non-prepared terrains would be an extremely valuable information gathering asset in several well defined circumstances: surveillance during day and specially night, and early morning or late afternoon monitoring of post-fire hot-spots during the following days of the extinction.

This project develops the Sky-Eye system, a helicopter-based UAS platform that together with its hardware/software architecture is designed to facilitate the development of wildfire remote sensing applications. The Sky-Eye UAS will improve the overall awareness by providing tactical support to wildfire monitoring and control of ground squads. Sky-Eye employs existing COTS technology that can be immediately deployed on the field on-board medium sized UAS helicopters at a reasonable cost. Sky-Eye is built on top an user-parameterizable architecture called USAL (UAS Service Abstraction Layer). This architecture defines a collection of standard services and their interrelations as a basic starting point for further development. Functionalities like enhanced flight-plans, a mission control engine, data storage, communications management, etc. are offered.

ICARUS-I: Intelligent Communications and Avionics for Robust Unmanned Aerial Systems

Sponsor: Spanish Ministry of Science and innovation

Programme: CICYT                Initial date: Oct 2007
Reference: TIN2007.63927                Final date: Sep 2010
Partners: UPC
Project Coordinator: UPC
UPC team: Enric Pastor, Cristina Barrado, Eduard Santamaria, Pablo Royo, Juan Lopez, Xavier Prats, Jorge Ramirez, Marc Solé, Marco Antonio Peña
UPC Principal Investigator: Enric Pastor

Overview
This research project focus on the development of new hardware and software architectures to control the mission and pay-load in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). The objective is the research on new technology for the control systems, giving the UAVs full operative capacity. The focus of the research are the following concepts: easy development, flexibility, interoperability and cost reduction.

PLATINO

Sponsor: Spanish Ministry of Science and innovation

Programme: Platino Initial date: Jul 2009
Reference: PSE-370000-2009-13 Final date: Mar 2010
Partners:
Project Leader:
UPC team: Enric Pastor, Cristina Barrado, Xavier Prats, Pablo Royo, Eduard Santamaria, Juan López.
UPC Principal Investigator: Enric Pastor

AERUS: Automatic Economic Reconfigurable UAV System

Sponsor: Generalitat de Catalunya, DURSI

Programme Pyrinees work community (CTP)       Initial date: Mar 2008
Reference: 2007ITT00014                                  Final date: Feb 2010
Partners: UPC, ENAC, Aerovisión
Project Coordinator: UPC
UPC team: Enric Pastor, Cristina Barrado, Xavier Prats, Eduard Santamaria, Pablo Royo, Juan Lopez, Jorge Ramírez, Esther Salamí
UPC Principal Investigator: Enric Pastor

Overview

To study the usage of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) for two surveillance missions: smoke detection mission and hot spot location mission using Fulmar with the Paparazzi system.

EVSIRBURG: Feasibility study of a UAV and GNSS based flight inspection system

Contractor: INDRA Espacio

Programme: Outsourcing for a CDTI project        Initial date: Nov 2008
Reference: -                  Final date: Nov 2009
Partners: UPC
Project Coordinator: UPC
UPC team: Enric Pastor, Cristina Barrado, Xavier Prats, Jorge Ramirez, Marc Pérez, Joan Fons, Carlos Ferraz, Jordi Carlos García
UPC Principal Investigator: Enric Pastor

Overview

Evaluate the concept of a unmanned flight inspection system, constraints and opportunities in front of conventional flight inspection systems.

Sky-Eye: Aerial system for the detection, control and analysis of wild forest fires

Sponsor: Spanish ministry of industry

Programme: PROFIT-Tractor       Initial date: Jan 2006
Reference: FIT-330101-2006-41                Final date: Dec 2007
Partners: Aerovision, UPC, Infinifish, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB)
Project Leader: Aerovision
UPC team: Enric Pastor, Cristina Barrado, Xavier Prats, Marco Peña, Eduard Santamaria, Pablo Royo, Juan Lopez
UPC Principal Investigator: Enric Pastor

Overview

To study the usage of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) for wild forest fires. The Fulmar platform from Aerovision was equipped with ICARUS middleware avionics and UAB camera and sensor technology.

APV-CAT: Study of APV-EGNOS based approach procedures for the Catalan network of aerodromes

Contractor: Pildo Labs

Programme: Outsourcing for a CIDEM project.    Initial date: Jan 2005
Reference: 0300S-6699-2005                   Final date: Dec 2007
Partners: UPC
Project Leader: UPC
UPC team: Xavier Prats, Josep Montolio, Carlos Gonzalez
UPC Principal Investigator: Xavier Prats

Overview

Study of how ENGOS could significantly improve the navigation conditions at the secondary network of aerodromes in Catalonia. Development of a software aimed at designing RNAV procedures by using digital cartography.