8th Florence Air Forum: Disruptive technologies in air traffic management

Technological change in Air Traffic Management (ATM) usually develops at a slow pace, understandably so given the high safety requirements, the enormous coordination effort needed to harmonize standards around the world and the relatively small size of the global ATM technology market (e.g. compared to consumer electronics). Real technological “disruptions” are therefore so far associated with other sectors in which market forces play a stronger role. Yet new potentially disruptive technologies are emerging in ATM together with the need  to boost productivity and innovation speed.

The 8^th Florence Air Forum will discuss the challenge of disruptive technologies in the ATM sector with high level representatives from European Commission, SESAR JU, Eurocontrol and several other bodies and agencies, stakeholders and academics.

In Europe the SESAR project is in a central position to steer innovation in ATM with significant funding and a long term strategy. Guiding the research under SESAR is the European ATM Master Plan which has the crucial role to identify the most relevant technologies to support over the next decades. The latest edition, which contains a “SESAR Vision” towards higher levels of digitalisation, virtualisation and automation, identifies a number of potentially disruptive solutions such as virtual centers, the next generation data communication capabilities, common support services or flight centric operations. This provides a potential foundation for breakthrough innovation in new products, services, and business models in ATM.

Both the development and the deployment of SESAR technologies heavily depend on the regulatory environment. Regulation firstly needs to allow new technologies to be developed and then needs to adapt to allow for their timely diffusion. Such change processes pose several fundamental challenges especially with regards to safety and economic regulatory issues. Yet potential ATM business model evolutions could be inspired by multiple industry analogies that share many similarities with ATM (e.g. transformation that took place in the energy, banking and postal sectors).

Discussions will be structured around four discussion questions:

• What are disruptive technologies and how does the concept apply to ATM?
• What can ATM learn from other sectors to address the challenges connected to the rising need for innovation speed?
• How can innovation be supported effectively and which are the most promising solutions that SESAR should be focussing on?
• The role of regulation: Do we need to rethink the regulatory approach to ATM in light of new technologies?

For further information or early registration, please contact FSR.Transport@eui.eu

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Final programme

Summary of the presentations

European Transport Regulation Observer

RELATED PRESENTATIONS

Introduction to the 8th Florence Air Forum – MATTHIAS FINGER, Part-time Professor & Director of the Transport Area, Florence School of Regulation/EUI; and Professor, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

Disruptive Technologies in Air Traffic Management – FRANK BRENNER, Director General, Eurocontrol

Disruptive Technologies in Air Traffic Management – MAURIZIO CASTELLETTI, Head of Unit Single European Sky, European Commission, DG MOVE

What can ATM learn from other sectors to address the challenges connected to the rising need for innovation speed? – FLORIAN GUILLERMET, Executive Director, SESAR Joint Undertaking

The Virtual Centre Initiative – KLAUS MEIER, CIO, Skyguide and DANI WEDER, CEO, Skyguide

Disruptive Technologies in ATM Flight – centric operations (sectorless operations) – RALF BERTSCH, Director Planning & Innovation, DFS

What can ATM learn from other sectors to address the challenges connected to the rising need for innovation speed? – SVEND LEIRVAAG, Vice President Industry Affairs, Amadeus IT group

Mobile Communication Challenges in ATM – ANDREAS LASSAK, UAS Program Manager, Deutsche Telekom

What can ATM learn from other sectors to address the challenges connected to the rising need for innovation speed? – THORSTEN ROBRECHT, Vice President Advanced Mobile Networks Solutions, Nokia

How can innovation be supported effectively and which are the most promising solutions that SESAR should be focussing on? – LUC LALLOUETTE, PMO SESAR Director, Thales Air Systems

Disruptive technologies in Air Traffic Management – KORNEL SZEPESSY, CEO, Hungarocontrol

Disruptive Technologies in ATC: The role of the ‘regulatory technology’ – CATHAL GUIOMARD, University Lecturer, Dublin City University Business School