On January 21st and 22nd, 2025, the CORUS Five Concept Exploration Workshop brought together approximately 80 stakeholders from across the drone and U-space ecosystem. Hosted by the Technical University of Catalonia in Castelldefels, the event convened drone operators, U-space service providers (USSPs), air navigation service providers (ANSPs), future common information service providers (CISPs), industry representatives, and research experts to collaboratively refine key research questions for the future of airspace management.

Building on prior analysis by the CORUS team, the workshop opened with a plenary briefing before breaking into six interactive sessions, each addressing specific areas of focus:

  1. Cross-Cutting Issues and Emerging Topics
  2. Flight Rules and Airspace Management
  3. Integration and Management of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Operations
  4. Safety Assessment and Separation Standards for AAM Operations in Shared Airspace
  5. Economic Aspects and Regulatory Frameworks for AAM Operations in U-space
  6. Data Integrity, Cybersecurity, and Multi-USSP Environments

Each session was led by two champions from the CORUS team, ensuring a structured yet dynamic approach to exploring the research questions. Participants rotated through all six sessions, engaging in discussions that sought to refine and prioritize research topics without prematurely diving into solutions. This rigorous approach ensured that the focus remained on scoping issues relevant to the development of the Concept of Operations (ConOps) for future airspace integration.

The final plenary session on the afternoon of the second day provided an opportunity for the champion pairs to present their compiled findings. This collective input now forms the foundation for further ConOps development, ensuring that the CORUS Five initiative is guided by well-defined, high-priority research areas.

The CORUS Five team extends its gratitude to all participants for their contributions and engagement. This workshop marks a significant step in shaping the future of collaborative airspace management, and we look forward to continuing these discussions in the upcoming phases of the project.

Stay tuned for further updates as we progress towards defining a robust and future-proof ConOps for the evolving U-space landscape!

Download all workshop presentations here