ATOMICUS - Advanced Traffic Organisation and Management of Intelligent Cargo Unmanned Systems

ATOMICUS will deliver a significant pragmatic step towards safe operation of unmanned aircraft logistics by enabling integration with regional airfield operations. The approach of data based integration with existing physical infrastructure, will enable unlocking of significant cost savings and productivity gains in the logistics market. This project aims to create and demonstrate the digital infrastructure and operational procedures that will allow long-range unmanned cargo systems to safely and efficiently share the airspace and ground infrastructure with manned aircraft.

The project will develop and demonstrate a concept of operations (CONOPS) and safety case, enabling scalable Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) operation and airport ground operations integration. The project will build upon the DfT Open Access UTM Framework being developed by Connected Places Catapult, creating new data infrastructure, products, APIs, and data flows to implement necessary interfaces.

Through this approach, ATOMICUS will demonstrate the ability to provide logistics between airports and airfields, demonstrating the capacity to, as part of a planned, sequenced flight, with an allocated slot, safely operate a drone through controlled airspace to land at a manned airport and arrive at a 'gate'. Following arrival, the vehicle is inspected for damage, wear and tear.

By demonstrating how UTM can enable scaling of the benefits of UAS, the project will provide the foundation for demonstrating during Phase 3, a middle mile solution for integrating drones as quickly as possible into the existing Air Traffic System and infrastructure with minimal disruption to today's manned aircraft air and ground operations.