<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><ns2:project xmlns:ns1="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api" xmlns:ns2="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/project" xmlns:ns3="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/fund" xmlns:ns4="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/person" xmlns:ns5="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/project/outcome" xmlns:ns6="http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk/gtr/api/organisation" ns1:created="2026-07-08T08:44:08Z" ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/projects/DCEE4142-F427-49E6-9EA0-017ADB834744" ns1:id="DCEE4142-F427-49E6-9EA0-017ADB834744"><ns1:links><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/persons/DA75D8B4-DEAF-4EB3-A224-680596473B11" ns1:rel="PM_PER"/><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/organisations/B2DBAE58-7228-4A32-8715-2B76578B7F4F" ns1:rel="LEAD_ORG"/><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/organisations/F2868377-6F3A-4000-BCA7-325262EB63F4" ns1:rel="PARTICIPANT_ORG"/><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/organisations/3BC2B2D8-025E-4D23-89A5-EA521C40E643" ns1:rel="PARTICIPANT_ORG"/><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/organisations/E8C66154-79EA-4DA0-B6CC-107B17DE6851" ns1:rel="PARTICIPANT_ORG"/><ns1:link ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/organisations/B2DBAE58-7228-4A32-8715-2B76578B7F4F" ns1:rel="PARTICIPANT_ORG"/><ns1:link ns1:end="2022-03-30T23:00:00Z" ns1:href="http://gtr.ukri.org/gtr/api/funds/0A6D5082-AA08-4BBF-AA60-E06147025AD3" ns1:rel="FUND" ns1:start="2020-12-01T00:00:00Z"/></ns1:links><ns2:identifiers><ns2:identifier ns2:type="RCUK">75825</ns2:identifier></ns2:identifiers><ns2:title>SMARTER - A 4D, Cloud-based Simulation-as-a-Service Digital Twin of the Combined ATM / UTM Airspace</ns2:title><ns2:status>Closed</ns2:status><ns2:grantCategory>Collaborative R&amp;D</ns2:grantCategory><ns2:leadFunder>ISCF</ns2:leadFunder><ns2:abstractText>SMARTER is a Four-Dimensional Digital Twin of the Combined ATM / UTM Airspace. Using novel machine learning / deep reinforcement learning techniques, SMARTER will address challenges arising from problem statement 2 of the Future Flight Challenge. SMARTER will:

* Based on Massive Multiplayer Online Game (MMOG) technology, provide an innovative, collaborative, cloud-based Simulation-as-a-Service environment where several thousand aircraft (both traditional civil aircraft, military aircraft and UAVs) will be simulated based on both real-world data and simulated data.
* Learn, infer and deduce the new rules needed to accommodate the safe _and_ efficient (both environmentally and commercially) management of the combined ATM and UTM traffic (both for non-segregated, lower airspace and en route traffic). These rules can then be used in support of the safety case for CAP670, CAP722, ED-109A, DO-178C compliance for both UAV operators and Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) and facilitate global capacity management modelling and collaborative decision making.
* Allow users (e.g. ANSPs) to test &amp;quot;what-if&amp;quot; scenarios including modelling sensor failures / low coverage regions, weather, population density, loss of control of the UAV, loss of communications, special use areas / danger areas. SMARTER will learn how each aircraft, the airspace and indeed the system of systems is required to react in order to both meet safety and performance KPIs.
* Develop novel mathematical techniques to characterise the uncertainty associated with ascertain the single source of truth for the presented state of the airspace given the multiplicity of data inputs from sensors, measurements, radar (both primary and secondary surveillance), ADS-B (over satellite comms), etc all of which are at varying levels of data quality.
* Develop next-generation, turn-key 4D visualization and user experience techniques with haptic controls to gamify the manipulation of the airspace - streaming from centralized, cloud-based servers to either standard PC, mobile device or 4D visualization devices (e.g. Occulus Rift, etc.). This facilitates rapid scenario testing. Users will be able to get an account, log-in and use the environment without purchasing any specialized equipment.
* Since the environment is cloud-based, it will provide an on-demand collaborative decision making environment where multiple stakeholders can work together to form a consensus on capacity &amp;amp; separation management standards whilst respecting the commercial constraints of both small SMEs (e.g. UAV operators), ANSPs and large multinational OEMs.

SMARTER will use emerging ATM data standards (such as WIXM / FIXM / AIXM) for seamless integration into ANSP operations. Furthermore, as well as being used to facilitate the development of the safe, efficient separation management rules, the simulation environment provided by SMARTER can be used to train UAV operators, air traffic controllers and even pilots.</ns2:abstractText></ns2:project>