Deployment of Multi-Rotor Unmanned Aircraft in Managed Airspace – 2nd Call for Proposals

Participating Agencies

Summary

 If your company is interested in joining our pilot in one or more of the 24 demos which will take place over the next couple of years (2023-2024) please contact Meital Goren of Ayalon Highways: [email protected]. 
Please contact us at least 40 days prior to the demo you want to join and we will be happy to collaborate with you!

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Looking for a partner to apply to the call for proposals? please fill the form in this link and we’ll e-mail you with a list of potential partners.

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 Have a question/clarification regarding this Call for Proposals? click here for our clarifications to various questions. 

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Following a successful first Call for Proposals demonstrating drone operations in a managed airspace under predefined area conditions, as part of the National Drones Initiative, the Innovation Authority invites Israeli technology companies to participate in the second demonstration pilot program (TRL 6 and above) in managed airspace (U-Space) in coordination with the air traffic management bodies at the countrywide level.
The Call for Proposals aims to leverage upon the achievements of the initial Call for Proposals (5185) to advance the capabilities required for achieving countrywide deployment by connecting up to the national supervisory and control infrastructures (Israel Airports Authority, civilian control towers, Air Force, and enforcement bodies), opening the skies to regular managed and automatic commercial activity throughout the country. 
The Call for Proposals, produced in collaboration with the Civil Aviation Authority, the Ministry of Transport Intelligent Transportation Administration Ayalon Highways, and the Innovation Authority, will support the operation of manned and unmanned aircraft, including drones, to streamline and improve transportation in Israel and develop the ecosystem in this field.
The Call for Proposals will be submitted through the Authority’s Benefit Program No. 2 (Secondary Route (b))

Relevant Technologies

multi-rotor, eVTOL and unmanned aircrafts

Program Description

The program is intended for Israeli technology companies in operation, command, control, tracking, drones, unmanned aircraft networks management and airspace management, including advanced software solutions and their cyber protection, designed to operate in and/or between urban areas. 
Also, for companies capable of bringing, licensing, and flying suitable platforms for the above purposes.
Foreign companies interested in taking part in the demonstrations are invited to do so and receive regulatory support without direct financial support from the Initiative. A foreign company must be represented by a licensed aerospace operator in Israel who shall assume responsibility for all licensing operations required as well as operation in practice.

Criteria

Target Audience:

The program is intended for Israeli technology companies in operation, command, control, tracking, drones, unmanned aircraft networks management and airspace management, including advanced software solutions and their cyber protection, designed to operate in and/or between urban areas. 
Also, for companies capable of bringing, licensing, and flying suitable platforms for the above purposes.

Foreign companies interested in taking part in the demonstrations are invited to do so and receive regulatory support without direct financial support from the Initiative. A foreign company must be represented by a licensed aerospace operator in Israel who shall assume responsibility for all licensing operations required as well as operation in practice.

Preferred Areas:

The Call for Proposals was made for the purpose of improving upon multiple efforts:

• Regulation by setting up a regulatory sandbox.
• The making of the various USSP services accessible to all interested parties connected with the management and supervision of air traffic in Israel.
• Experimenting the deployment of controlled airspaces including those in dense urban areas as well as those close to airports for offering varied services to the public using and autonomous aircraft. 
• Expansion of the range and usable payload mass of service offered by means of and autonomous aircraft beyond visual line of sight for delivery applications as well as, agricultural spraying, observation, photography, monitoring, supervision and security, including support for routine operations of emergency and rescue services.
• Embedding of dedicated interfaces to interested parties based on technologies and devices in the process of being adopted by the Civil Aviation Authority—USPACE principles, with the aim of achieving full automation.
• Streamlining and improvement of transportation and reduction of roadway congestion in Israel and world-wide.
• Formation and growth of entire stable companies in Israel promoting technological and innovative solutions.
• Development, application and embedding of technologies and operating concepts for the advancement of airborne haulage networks using manned and unmanned aircraft including drones for the benefit of the country’s transportation system and economy.

Courses of action:

1. Specification, development and embedding of automatic interfaces with Air Force, Airports Authority, control towers including Ben-Gurion Airport, under Civil Aviation Authority’s regulation.
2. Verification of development by simulation followed by flight demonstration conducted in controlled airspaces.
3. Demonstration of aircraft-based services over long flight paths crossing different controlled areas (quantitative reference values, example of scenario: delivery of urgent supplies from logistics depot to distant hospital by direct flight—flight ranges of order of tens of km., air speed of at least 60 knots as a design target and cargo in excess of 15 kg.)
4. Advancement of landing capabilities in the public domain—technical, planning, and regulatory aspects. 
5. Interface and means for obtaining data on non-cooperative and/or hostile aircraft. 
6. Advancement of automation in airborne logistics processes such as Proof of Delivery. 

Programme Phases

Initial period – 2023:
 
Completion of development, adaptations and preparations stage 
Specification and development of first phase (including autonomous air traffic management system)
Proof of airworthiness of new aircraft 
Development and implementation of interfaces to control and supervisory bodies and testing them by simulation. 
Advancement of landing grounds infrastructure (classification into different load ratings, landing accuracies, safety, weather, sharing with public)

Demonstration stage 
Cycles of simulation days for verification of design assumptions followed by flying days in predetermined timeslots in coordination with control and supervisory bodies progressively starting from small and less busy control towers and concluding with BG and/or Ramon Airport. 
The USSP air picture shall be presented during the entire trial at the control towers—initially on a separate monitor (monitors side by side) and later on, depending on practical capabilities, embedded in the aerial view shown in the control towers. 

Implementation—2024
Performance of demonstrations to different scenarios at an increasing complexity while integrating in the market and enabling commercial trials.
The National Drones Initiative Administration in Ayalon Highways Ltd. will provide an area in the Metropolitan Command Centre including: 

• Two “controller” positions
• Shift supervisor’s position
• Command and display monitors
• Telephones and furniture—to support operating capability as UAV Service Provider. 

Threshold Conditions

• The applicant must be a company registered in Israel.
• By Aug. 4, send a LOI (Letter of Intent) from Ayalon Highways, designated as the national pilot site—expressing its consent to collaborate with the applicant in the pilot described in the application, including investment of the resources required for this purpose.
• The applicant is required to comply with the obligation of reporting, the obligation of paying royalties, the obligation of safeguarding knowledge and intellectual property as set out in the Innovation Law, Benefit Program No. 2 and Program Procedures.

Clarification: Ownership of the new knowledge developed and acquired in the course of the programme belongs to the applicant. Should a sub-contractor express an interest in receiving in the future a share of the new knowledge developed during the pilot, the Authority is to be notified at the time of filing the application in order to simplify the process at a later stage.
 

Specific Criteria for Appraising the Programme Submitted 

The criteria set out on the program page will also be examined on the basis of the expected effect on streamlining and improving transportation in Israel, especially in relieving congestion, decreasing road accidents and reducing petroleum consumption for transportation.

The appraisal will be carried out, among other aspects, over a cross-section of different areas as set out in the Second Call for Proposal for Promoting the Operation of Multi-Rotor, VTOL and Unmanned Aircraft in Managed Airspace Sandbox appendix as submitted and in comparison, with all of the other applications submitted, with respect to the following aspects (as applicable): 

• Air operators are those holding air operator licences issued by the Civil Aviation Authority.
• Companies wishing to develop interfaces with government bodies must show compliance with security classification requirements as specified. 
• The proposals must demonstrate Technological Readiness Level of 6 and above and/or R&D experience in the development of particular automatic interfaces to supervisory, command and enforcement bodies.
• Companies participating in the pilot have the obligation of recording predetermined content using a black box located on board the aircraft and/or at the “ground stations”.
• The Innovation Authority is entitled to share the information gathered with government bodies for purposes of regulation development, accident and safety incident investigations and advancement of the drone/unmanned aircraft sector.
• Contribution to formulating principles for correct cooperation between aircraft operators and supervision, control and enforcement bodies in the urban and intercity setting.
• Ability to carry out a variety of effective and economically justifiable operations using aircraft in a managed airspace. 
• Ability to transport cargos over a long distance in a short time and in an economically efficient manner (optimum utilisation of the air medium) including applications requiring Proof of Delivery.
• Handling delivery solutions in the social distancing era. 
• Preference will be given for an application based on European legislation and implementation of the ASTM Standards, If other standards are involved, special approval is to be obtained from the National Drone Project prior to submission.
• Development of flying capabilities over people and beyond visual line of sight (including tolerance to GNSS interference).
• For participants engaged in command and control—ability to track activity of all aircraft in the controlled airspace, in general and especially-
  • Various vendors aircraft participating in the program;
  • Aircraft not participating in the program;
  • The various types of manned aircraft.
• Issue of “Possible Encroachment of Safety Margins” warning.
• Mandatory embedding of independent means of identification (RID) according to the ASTM Standard (both broadcast and network modes).
• Location of cooperative and non-cooperative aircraft at very low altitude (VLL).

The pilot program appraisal shall be based, among other considerations, on:

• Suitable Civil Aviation Authority (ICAA) approvals:
  • Air operator licence.
  • Airworthiness certificate (of “Special Permanent Approval” type for commercial operation – “Experimental Use” for development/trials/demonstration but holder may not carry out commercial work).
  • Personal licence – unmanned aircraft flying permit for aircraft being operated (VLOS, BVLOS).
  • Third party insurance approved by ICAA. 
• Sharing of information with air traffic management units (air traffic control units/centres/ACC and BG Airport).
• Intervention ability of air traffic management units and compliance with air traffic management units’ directions.
• Sharing of information with other companies participating in the demonstrations.  
• Beyond visual line-of-sight communications based on LTE cellular networks (preference for solutions with 5G capabilities to be included in countrywide deployment demonstration; preference for solutions demonstrating redundancy over the cellular medium).
• All aircraft participating in the program must be identified uniquely and, in a manner, not allowing the operating company’s intervention by means of standard technological means, to enable them to be identified and distinguished for command, control and enforcement purposes to ICAA directions and relevant ASTM Standard (both broadcast and network modes). The ability is essential for observing the presence and position of all craft at all required locations including the air traffic control units/centres/ACC and BG Airport/Inland Security/Police and the like.
• All enquiries regarding the Call for Proposals should be addressed to the Innovation Authority Growth Division, e-mail [email protected].
• For a copy of the letter of intent and an explanation of the trial participants’ agreement, please contact Meital Goren, Director of Autonomous Technologies Implementation, [email protected].  
• All inquiries regarding the Israel National Drone Initiative (INDI) should be addressed to Daniella Partem, Head of C4IR Israel at the Israel Innovation Authority: [email protected]   

Funding

• Financial support at a level of 20% – 50% of approved R&D and pilot expenses.
• Aircraft not available in Israel may be imported for demonstration purposes, the direct cost of their participation to be recognised as dedicated equipment in accordance with the following procedure (in Hebrew) 

Application Process

Applications should be submitted in the ‘personal area’ of the Innovation Authority Website.
Information on how to submit the application and the forms to be attached to it are shown in detail on the program page—support program for pilots in transportation area, https://innovation.daatsolutions.info/growth/pilot/transportation.
Please note: The application form is to be accompanied by a response to the Second Call for Proposal for Promoting the Operation of Multi-Rotor, eVTOL and Unmanned Aircraft in Managed Airspace Sandbox appendix.  

The supporting technologies forming part of the program shall only deal with (at least one of) the following fields:

1. Development, production and embedding of platforms that that have yet to be flown in Israel, emphasising flight ranges and increased cargo load rating.
2. Interfaces and development of regulation between organisational bodies and various application levels:
   1. Implementation of solution such as LAANC to achieve access to U-Space for operators and amateurs flying under VLOS regime.
   2. Implementation of interface between U-Space sphere Airports Authority assuming internal distribution to control towers.
   3. Implementation of interface between communications and USSP.
   4. Implementation of interface between MDOS and USSP.
   5. Implementation of interface for coordination facing bodies with interference capabilities.
3. POD—Proof of Delivery to named party.
4. All steps needed for specifying requirements, development, procurement, integration of cyber protection to ecosystem components. 
5. Operation of landing grounds for heavy unmanned aircraft/eVTOL.
6. Demonstration of civil NCTR abilities.
7. Operation of one or more of the previous baskets (relating to skilled manpower, its recruitment, training. qualification, operation and so forth).

Attention: in addition to what is specified in the program page, the companies are also to submit as an appendix to the application submission a response to the “Second Call for Proposal for Promoting the Operation of Multi-Rotor, eVTOL and Unmanned Aircraft in Managed Airspace Sandbox appendix”.  

Applications must be submitted by 22 Aug 2022, 12:00 noon (IST). 
Replies will be given in mid-November 2022.

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For general enquiries and queries on how to submit the application in the personal area, the customer service desk may be contacted by e-mail: [email protected], or telephone +972-3-7157900 on Sun. – Thu. between 9:00 and 17:00 hours.   
For enquiries concerning the program contact the Companies’ Growth Arena by e-mail: [email protected].
For partners: Enquiries addressed to the National Drone Project and Ayalon Highways may be made by e-mail to Director of Autonomous Technologies Implementation, Meital Goren, [email protected]