Article 10 UAS flight authorisation service

GENERAL

(a)The UAS flight authorisation service provides authorisations to UAS operators for each individual flight based on other notified flight requests that may conflict with other unmanned operations within the same U-space airspace. It is a strategic deconfliction tool. The UAS flight authorisation service is provided to a UAS operator under the condition that it has submitted the UAS flight authorisation request before the flight. The content of this request is detailed in Annex IV to Regulation (EU) 2021/664.

(b)The UAS flight authorisation service should be able to handle flight authorisation requests by UAS operators for single flights and for a number of repetitive flights that are conducted consecutively on the same route.

(c)This service covers the flight authorisation provided according to Article 15(1) of Regulation (EU) 2019/947; however, it does not cover operational authorisations granted by the competent authority as defined in Article 12 of Regulation (EU) 2019/947. The service informs operators of overlaps with any airspace restrictions provided by the geo-awareness service (Article 9). UAS flight authorisations in 4D volume may be used by the conformance monitoring service.

(d)This service is also a way for UAS operators to announce their intent to start their operations by activating their UAS flight authorisation. The activation of a flight initiates the provision of tactical services (like traffic information, network and remote identification or conformance monitoring) when required. The subsequent ending of the flight stops the provision of these services.

(e)This service is mandatory in U-space airspace designated in any airspace (controlled or not) and applies to UAS operators. This service enforces the prioritisation rules. When there is more than one USSP providing U-space services in a U-space airspace, all USSPs should exchange the UAS flight authorisation requests among themselves as well as state the changes to those requests — i.e. ‘Accepted’, ‘Activated’, ‘Withdrawn’, ‘Ended’.

(f)The information required to process a flight authorisation is provided by the UAS operators (flight authorisation request), other USSPs (other accepted flight authorisations, traffic information), and the CIS (e.g. temporary restrictions, manned traffic information). The single CIS provider has no coordination role and no other responsibilities than to ensure the provision of a subset of information that supports the flight authorisation process.

FLIGHT AUTHORISATION RECORDS USSPs should keep records of:

(a)all UAS flight authorisations, including:

(1)the data submitted by the UAS operator;

(2)the time of receipt of the requests;

(3)when accepted, the unique authorisation number, and the associated terms and conditions;

(b)UAS flight authorisation requests that are rejected, including the reason for rejection.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS The USSP should include in the terms and conditions of a flight authorisation:

(a)a reminder clause about the applicable conditions and airspace constraints;

(b)the technical requirements, such as the necessary UAS performance requirements;

(c)when relevant, a list of any permissions that are required for a flight to enter restricted airspace (e.g. limited-access geographical zones);

(d)instructions detailing how to handle the flight authorisation and activation requests and constraints, such as the time frame for flight activation or deactivation.

RETENTION OF RECORDS It is recommended that the USSP keep the records for a period of 5 years.

UAS FLIGHT AUTHORISATION PROCESS

(a)The UAS flight authorisation service is a conflict resolution mechanism and authorises flights that are free of intersection with other flight authorisations.

(b)The UAS flight authorisation request describes the flight trajectory as a series of one or more 4D volumes expressed in height (base, ceiling), longitudinal and lateral limits, and duration (entry and exit times). Each dimension includes the uncertainties of the flight, e.g. earliest possible entry, latest possible exit.

(c)The detection of conflict is performed considering the planned 4D trajectories of the flights with the deviation thresholds added.

(d)The flight authorisation service ensures that the trajectory does not conflict with a no-fly zone and warns if the flight enters a restricted area.

(e)The UAS flight authorisation service describes a 4D trajectory typically in terms of height, length, width, and duration, and ensures that the trajectory does not conflict with a no-fly zone.

(f)The performance required is primarily driven by considering separation assurance and collision avoidance.

CHECK OF THE UAS FLIGHT AUTHORISATION REQUEST — COMPLETE, CORRECT, FREE OF INTERSECTION The USSP should verify that the UAS flight authorisation is complete, correct, and free of intersection, and only accept the UAS flight authorisation request when all the following conditions are satisfied:

(a)When specified by the Member State (as per AMC2 to Article 3(4) of Regulation (EU) 2021/664), the flight authorisation request is made within the allowed time frame.

(b)The maximum capacity and density of UAS flights in the U-space airspace (AMC1 to Article 3(4) of Regulation (EU) 2021/664) is not yet reached.

(c)The UAS registration number provided by the UAS operator can be retrieved and validated from the operator’s information provided by the Member States as per Article 3(5) of Regulation (EU) 2021/664.

(d)When available, the UAS registration number can be retrieved and validated from the information provided by the Member States.

(e)The UAS flight is compatible with the U-space airspace restrictions and temporary airspace limitations.

(f)The UAS flight does not intersect with a prohibited (no-fly) geographical zone.

(g)The 4D trajectory of the UAS flight, with the deviation threshold (as specified for U-space airspace as per AMC2 to Article 3(4) of Regulation (EU) 2021/664) added, is free of any intersection with a previously authorised request. The contingency/emergency measures detailed in the flight authorisation request are free of any intersection with a previously authorised request.

UAS FLIGHT — ACCEPTANCE OF FLIGHT PLANNED IN RESTRICTED AREA A UAS flight planned outside the boundaries of the U-space airspace or planned to enter a geographical zone with restricted access may be a UAS operator error. When a UAS flight is planned outside the boundaries of the U-space airspace or in a restricted access geographical zone, the USSP may accept the flight authorisation but should provide beforehand a clear notification to the UAS operator, and should list in the terms and conditions the related airspace restrictions, specific entry permissions and requirements. Once the UAS operator confirms it has been granted the relevant permissions to perform its flight, the USSP should accept the flight authorisation request.

REASON FOR REJECTION OF A UAS FLIGHT AUTHORISATION A USSP that rejects a UAS flight authorisation request should indicate the reason(s) for the rejection to the UAS operator concerned.

UAS FLIGHT AUTHORISATION NOT ACCEPTED

(a)The reasons for which the USSP is unable to grant the authorisation should be detailed and clear enough to allow the UAS operator to properly understand the issue and adjust its flight authorisation request accordingly.

(b)As only warnings will be given regarding airspace access, the UAS operator remains responsible for acquiring any necessary access permission.

DEVIATION THRESHOLDS Due to the numerous parameters outside the area of responsibility of the USSPs which are required to establish safe and sensible deviation thresholds (e.g. acceptable level of safety (ALS), density of operations, necessary safety margins, etc.), the deviation thresholds are defined by the Member States during the risk assessment and specified as performance requirements as per the AMC and GM to Article 3(4) of Regulation (EU) 2021/664.

WEATHER INFORMATION The Member State may specify weather maxima or minima for important meteorological parameters as part of the U-space airspace operational conditions and constraints. When weather maxima or minima exist, the weather information service is required for the U-space airspace and the USSP should check the adequacy of the weather forecast with the specified weather maxima or minima when processing UAS flight authorisation and activation requests.

WEATHER INFORMATION The USSP cross-checks the weather maxima and minima with the ‘mode of operation’ (point 2 of Annex IV) of the flight authorisation request, such as:

(a)visibility requirements for VLOS or BVLOS with aerial observers;

(b)wind and temperature for all operations.

UAS FLIGHT AUTHORISATION NOT ACCEPTED USSPs may support the planning of an acceptable alternative in suggesting the start time or change of path.

ACTIVATION OF THE UAS FLIGHT AUTHORISATION The USSP should make a final check of the flight authorisation and should confirm the UAS flight authorisation activation without delay when the following conditions are satisfied:

(a)The UAS operator has accepted the terms and conditions associated to the flight authorisation.

(b)The UAS flight authorisation is activated within the allowed time frame, when specified.

(c)The U-space airspace is not subject to dynamic airspace reconfiguration, and the UAS flight remains compatible with the U-space airspace restrictions and temporary airspace limitations.

(d)The planned UAS flight is compatible with the current weather maxima or minima, when relevant.

(e)The UAS flight authorisation does not intersect with another UAS flight authorisation that has a higher priority (e.g. UAS conducting special operations).

(f)In the proximity of the UAS flight, there are no:

(1)manned aircraft in a state of emergency;

(2)cooperative but non-conforming drones, or non-cooperative drones (when their detection is possible);

(3)e-conspicuous manned aircraft intersecting the planned UAS trajectory. When the UAS flight authorisation cannot be activated, the USSP should indicate the reason(s) to the UAS operator and may propose an alternative.

ACTIVATION REQUEST

(a)It is acknowledged that depending on the implementation of the flight authorisation service and the situation in the U-space airspace, the flight authorisation may have been withdrawn. Nevertheless, a final consolidation and check of the accepted flight authorisation against the Uspace airspace constraints, conditions, and environment is expected to be performed to ensure the safety of operations.

(b)The activation request is expected close to the start of the flight mentioned in the UAS flight authorisation.

(c)The activation of the flight authorisation triggers the provision of the network identification and traffic information services and, when applicable, the conformance monitoring service. The activation request should enable the provision of these services.

(d)When the USSP receives the activation request, it rechecks the flight authorisation request. If the flight authorisation request has been withdrawn because it has been found to be in conflict with a higher-priority flight authorisation request or a manned aircraft known or believed to be in a state of emergency, then the USSP should respond negatively to the activation request.

(e)If no activation request is received for a flight, the USSP should withdraw the flight authorisation after the time indicated in the flight authorisation request as the latest possible start time of the flight plus any deviation threshold with units of time. The USSP may warn the UAS operator before doing this.

ACTIVATION OF THE UAS FLIGHT AUTHORISATION The minimum and maximum time (size of time window) before take-off at which the activation of the flight authorisation may have been identified by the Member Sate for specific U-space airspace. The USSP may further constrain the minimum and maximum time (size of time window) before take-off at which the activation is requested, due to practical considerations (e.g. efficient acceptance of flight authorisations among the UAS operators). Those constraints are to be provided to the UAS operators in the terms and conditions of the UAS flight authorisation request.

UNJUSTIFIED DELAY A possible interpretation of the expression ‘without unjustified delay’ is provided in ASTM F3548-21 ‘Standard Specification for UAS Service Supplier (USS) Interoperability’, which requires that the activation of flight authorisations be confirmed within 5 seconds for 95 % of the time.

UAS FLIGHT AUTHORISATION EXCHANGE AND CONFLICTING REQUESTS To prevent conflicting UAS flights, the USSP should:

(a)make the necessary arrangements with other USSPs to allow for the rapid, reliable, robust and unequivocal identification of conflicts between any UAS flight authorisation requests;

(b)ensure constant synchronisation of the flight authorisations within the U-space they share, in exchanging the UAS flight authorisation requests among themselves as well as stating changes to those requests — ‘Accepted’, ‘Activated’, ‘Withdrawn’, ‘Ended’.

ARRANGEMENTS IN CASE OF CONFLICTING UAS FLIGHT AUTHORISATION REQUESTS

(a)To ensure the interoperability of USSPs that provide flight authorisation services and resolve potential conflicts, USSPs may follow ASTM F3548-21 ‘Standard Specification for UAS Service Supplier (USS) Interoperability’.

(b)When duly demonstrated to the competent authority that the following mechanism can be safely implemented, if during operations any USSP fails entirely and cannot support strategic coordination, the arrangement among the USSPs may establish service levels and allow other USSPs to plan over accepted flights managed by the USSP that has failed. In that regard, the terms and conditions associated with the flight should incorporate provisions to deal with that specific case.

AIRSPACE RESTRICTIONS AND LIMITATIONS The USSP should:

(a)when authorising a flight request, use the set of current airspace restriction data coming from the CIS (and the associated geo-awareness service);

(b)check whether there are any entry permission or technical requirements due to any airspace restrictions relevant to the flight, taking into account the flight’s 4D trajectory including any deviation thresholds;

(c)list the airspace restrictions as well as the specific entry permission and technical requirements in the terms and conditions provided with the flight authorisation request, if a flight authorisation requires specific entry permission or should meet specific technical requirements due to any airspace restrictions relevant to the flight and the USSP cannot determine from the information in the flight authorisation request whether these requirements are met.

AIRSPACE RESTRICTIONS AND LIMITATIONS

(a)When the acceptance of the flight authorisation only depends on the information contained in the flight authorisation request (Annex IV to Regulation (EU) 2021/664), or when an appropriate automatic means to request and obtain permission to enter restricted airspace is implemented for the U-space airspace, the USSP may automatically confirm the technical compliance and approve the flight authorisation request. Conversely, the same process could automatically determine technical non-compliance or the absence of entry permission, hence the USSP could automatically reject the flight authorisation request.

(b)For cases other than that referred to in point (a), there are currently no means in the flight authorisation request (Annex IV to Regulation (EU) 2021/664) for the UAS operator to indicate that it has already obtained permission to enter any restricted airspace or that the aircraft is appropriately equipped. In these cases, the flight authorisation service should inform the UAS operator whether permission is required or whether there are specific requirements to be satisfied (e.g. technical equipment) by including the requirements in the terms and conditions of the flight authorisation request.

(c)In the case described in point (b), the UAS operator is responsible for obtaining the appropriate permission to enter any restricted airspace and/or for using an aircraft that meets any applicable technical requirements. By activating a flight authorisation, the UAS operator commits to meeting the terms and conditions of that flight authorisation request.

SPECIAL OPERATIONS For the purposes of this AMC, the term ‘normal’ is used for a UAS flight which does not conduct special operations.

(a)When an authorisation request for a UAS flight which conducts special operations conflicts with a previously authorised normal UAS flight, the USSP should update or withdraw the authorisation of the normal flight, as may be necessary by the circumstances, in order to authorise the flight which conducts special operations.

(b)The USSP should inform the UAS operator concerned about any change to the flight authorisation, as per Article 6(6) of Regulation (EU) 2021/664.

SPECIAL OPERATIONS USSPs identify flight authorisation requests intended for special operations by the information given under ‘type of flight’ (special operations) of the UAS flight authorisation request (see point 3 of Annex IV to Regulation (EU) 2021/664).

ORDER OF PROCESSING

(a)USSPs should reject any UAS flight authorisation request that conflicts with an earlier authorisation request of the same priority or higher, in accordance with Article 10(2)(b) of Regulation (EU) 2021/664.

(b)As far as practically possible (through the ‘proper arrangements’ that meet the requirement of Article 10(6) of Regulation (EU) 2021/664), USSPs should process UAS flight authorisations that have the same priority in the order of time at which the operational intent is submitted.

(c)As part of the recording required by AMC1 to Article 10(1) of Regulation (EU) 2021/664, USSPs should record the time of receipt of the UAS flight authorisation requests.

PRIORITY

(a)A new flight authorisation request cannot override a previously approved flight authorisation of the same priority. To reduce the number of cases where two conflicting flight authorisation requests arrive before the approval of either of them has finished, the time required to approve a flight authorisation request by means of ‘proper arrangements’ as per Article 10(6) of Regulation (EU) 2021/664 should be as short as practically possible. When two or more conflicting flight authorisation requests are received so close in time that their processing has not finished when the other(s) is (are) received, then there should be no systematic advantage to a given USSP or a given UAS operator. The result should be one of the following:

(1)the first flight authorisation request received by any USSP is approved;

(2)neither/none flight authorisation request is approved;

(3)any flight authorisation request at random is approved.

(b)It is not possible to change an already authorised flight so that it conflicts with another authorised flight of the same priority or higher. Any change causing a conflict will be rejected, and the original, unchanged flight authorisation should remain valid.

CONTINUOUS CHECK OF FLIGHT AUTHORISATIONS IN RELATION TO THE PRESENCE OF MANNED AIRCRAFT In airspace where the operation of manned aircraft not subject to air traffic control by the ANSP takes place, the USSP should consider the presence of electronically conspicuous manned aircraft and should:

(a)update or withdraw the flight authorisations, as may be necessary, if the manned aircraft is or is believed to be in a state of emergency;

(b)suggest to UAS operators the update of the flight authorisation when the manned aircraft trajectory intersects with the planned UAS 4D trajectory to enhance continued separation.

CONTINUOUS CHECK

(a)The checks should be performed from the moment the flight is authorised until the flight is no longer active (i.e. when the UAS operator signals the flight is no longer active).

(b)‘Continuous’ checking is likely to be implemented as periodic checking. For an active UAS flight, the check should deliver relevant information as soon as practically possible, hence the checking should be performed at intervals similar to the time between the updates of the network information service for a given flight. For a not-yet-active flight, the checking interval may be longer and at the time limit according to the time horizon published by the Member States for the validity and availability of geo-awareness data.

UNIQUE AUTHORISATION NUMBER

(a)When authorising a flight, the USSP should issue a flight authorisation number that is unique throughout the duration that the authorisation is expected to be referred to, including after flight. This period should be at least 2 years, and preferably more than 10 years.

(b)Each USSP should ensure that the probability of issuing an authorisation number that is the same with that issued by another USSP within the geographic scope of the U-space implementation is lower than once in 2 years and preferably lower than once in 10 years.

(c)USSPs should agree on, and ensure through dedicated arrangements, the robustness of the mechanism ensuring the uniqueness of flight authorisation numbers.

UNIQUE AUTHORISATION NUMBER

(a)The purpose of a unique authorisation number is to support the identification of a UAS operation during all its phases, including postflight. It provides an identifier for each UAS flight which is, as far as possible, unique across the U-space implementation and unique in a given time period, for at least 2 years and preferably for more than 10 years.

(b)The UAS operator should refer to the flight by its unique authorisation number in any subsequent communication with the USSP regarding that flight. It might include activation, ending, update, or cancellation. The USSP too should refer to the flight by its unique authorisation number in any communication with the UAS operator, for example in case of authorisation withdrawal.

(c)A Variant 1 Version 4 or Version 5 universally unique identifier (UUID) is considered a sufficiently unique flight authorisation number. In case Version 5 is used, the USSP should have a unique identifier and that identifier should be made known to the competent authority as part of the certification process of the USSP.

(d)Updates to a UAS flight authorisation should not result in a change to the unique authorisation number.