AIRLabs inspire Austria-wide drone research

Unmanned aerial vehicles are currently experiencing a true renaissance thanks to a wide range of research into drone technologies. Airspace as a route for manned air traffic is expected to grow considerably. Forecasts by aviation experts are accompanied by ever new announcements from industry and business to rely more and more on drones for the transport of goods or even passengers.

New (vertical) air corridors will emerge, but newly developed aircraft will have to be tested and the increasing unmanned air traffic regulated.

The Austrian Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology (BMK) supports the development and operation of test infrastructures for drones as part of the Take Off programme, the national RTI programme for civil aviation. 

A consortium led by FH JOANNEUM has won the contract for the 5-year project. The winning consortium was particularly impressed by its unique multisite concept over six stages, which covers research and development, validation and use in real environments across all levels of technological maturity. It brings together renowned partners from industry, research and consumers.

The AIRlabs Austria Innovation Laboratory will implement the setup and operation of a unique drone test infrastructure. The future research, development and approval of UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) will be supported in real testing areas, thus enables an innovation path across all technology levels. The consortium led by the FH JOANNEUM consists of 26 organisations from industry and research throughout Austria. The diversity of the consortium members ensures that the full competence of autonomous mobility can be used. 

(Source: BMK Infothek)