REAL (RPAS EGNOS ASSISTED LANDINGS) aims to develop and implement the use on drones of a navigation and surveillance sensor based on EGNOS. The high level of integrity and accuracy achieved through EGNOS allows pilots to improve navigation and landing accuracy.

One of the purposes of this study was to highlight the safety benefits provided by the use of EGNOS. These advantages are twofold:

• greater safety and accuracy of GPS which reduces the effects of its deterioration and, on the other hand, improves the robustness of the geofencing protection volumes.

• higher landing and navigation precision which improves safety especially for BVLOS operations (where human error could be relevant due to the lack of direct visual contact between the remote pilot and the aircraft).

The REAL project aims at four main objectives:

• develop and integrate an EGNOS navigation and surveillance sensor on two different SAPRs (one for each scenario) in direct support of the navigation function up to a height from which it is possible to carry out the landing using other devices. The position calculated by the EGNOS sensor will also support surveillance functions (for example ADS-B), allowing the remote pilot to maintain awareness of the general operating situation;

• develop an operational concept, endorsed by a safety assessment, for the approval of operations, considering the national regulations and the envisaged European roadmap;

• perform flight tests to validate navigation and surveillance functions as a support for a safety assessment towards future approval of operations; is

• adapt the design criteria of the existing flight procedures considering the dynamic performance of the RPAS systems and the operating environment for each scenario, assuming that, since there are no humans on board, an accident with a drone is not in itself a catastrophe.di questo studio era di evidenziare i vantaggi per la sicurezza forniti dall’uso di EGNOS.