Drones and Advanced Air Mobility

The Drones and Advanced Air Mobility Observatory – stemmed from the combined competences of the Department of Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering and the Department of Aerospace Engineering – has been established in 2019 and aims to be an unbiased and stable point of reference for the study and monitoring of the UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) sector, guaranteeing a qualified and independent debate between all players involved.

Drones and Advanced Air Mobility Observatory Research

As part of Research the Drones and Advanced Air Mobility Observatory aims for the following goals:

• Understand the characteristics, trends and opportunities of the professional drone market:
  • estimation, characterization and trends of the professional drone market in Italy, with a cross-section on the Public Sector;
  • analysis of drone recordings on the d-flight Portal;
  • examination of the peculiarities of the Italian market compared to some European ecosystems;
  • update the international startup census and identifying innovation directions;
  • analysis of M&A and investors in startups in the drone sector to understand market sustainability;
  • assessment of past and expected European funds made available to fund drone projects;
  • quantification of the skills required for the development of the drone industry and identifying current shortfalls.
• Study the introduction of drone services and identify the most promising areas:
  • identification of the main application areas and international drone use sectors;
  • assessment of the maturity level of drone projects;
  • identifying market niches where drones can deliver real added value;
  • analysis of applications in European cities and identification of enabling factors and barriers to implementation;
  • identification of the most promising drone applications in specific territories and specific regions.
• Define the level of priority of the various factors that enable the development of the drone market:
  • identification of the factors promoting or hindering the deployment of drone services at the Italian and European Public Sector;
  • analysis of the views of Italian citizens regarding the introduction of drone services;
  • identification of drone charging solutions and power systems and any shortfalls for full-scale functionality;
  • identification of the main testing areas at the European level and examination of their characteristics;
  • VCA OEM positioning analysis of based on certain unique characteristics;
  • identification of the Artificial Intelligence usage potential to support guidance, navigation and control, and data analysis;
  • study of vertiport projects at the international level;
  • analysis of services, available U-space areas and companies that can provide such services.
• Monitoring the evolution of drone regulations at the international level:
  • monitoring the evolution of EASA directives and regulations and strategies at the European level;
  • identifying commonalities and differences in the regulations of some non-European countries with respect to EASA regulations;
  • analysis of the current status of machine certifications and operating authorizations, with an in-depth look at the insurance aspects involved in conducting the activities;
  • in-depth look at the primary privacy requirements and understanding of the cybersecurity implications of using drones.