The UK's Autonomous Systems Technology Related Airborne Evaluation and Assessment (ASTRAEA) initiative, aimed at normalising unmanned air vehicle operations in UK airspace, could cost up to £80 million ($153 million) to fully implement over the next five years.
The core project, to run between 2006 and late 2008, is alone forecast to cost £32 million. Funding is currently being pursued by ASTRAEA partners in the form of grants from the UK Department of Trade and Industry (DTi) and regional government agencies.
Grant applications were lodged on 2 May and decisions are expected in June or July, according to Dr Sue Wolff, ASTRAEA co-ordinator for the Welsh Development Agency (WDA). "It is a co-ordinated, integrated application," she says.
The WDA is responsible for co-ordinating UK regional agency and local government involvement in the project, while BAE Systems is programme lead for industrial co-ordination.
ASTRAEA was instigated by the DTi last July and aims to carry out a major demonstration of routine UAV operations in non-segregated airspace in 2010.
Wolff says detailed ASTRAEA planning has been carried out over the past year and formal work will start in early 2006 if the funding request is approved.
The integrated programme includes air traffic policy reviews, development of certification standards and sense-and-avoid technologies.
The first three years of the programme will include a "whole range of smaller demonstrations", including simulated and live activities focusing on specific technology aspects, Wolff says.
"We expect to see some level of flight demonstration certainly within the first two years," she adds.
"Some of the possible missions might include coastwatch, police surveillance and, ultimately, an autonomous freight approach to demonstrate the whole of the technology."
Source: Flight International
