
The DAEDALUS validation campaign will span **four European countries**, each
focusing on different operational environments and use cases.

## Validation sites

| Country     | Focus                                          |
| ----------- | ---------------------------------------------- |
| Spain       | Dense urban U-space operations                 |
| Germany     | Mixed manned-unmanned airspace                 |
| Netherlands | Beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS)            |
| Italy       | Emergency response and critical infrastructure |

## What will be tested

The campaign will validate the full DAEDALUS stack:

1. **Dynamic Airspace Layering** — real-time vertical layer assignment
2. **Altitude-aware flight authorisation** — integrating CARS into U-space
   services
3. **Navigation integrity monitoring** — GNSS fault detection and exclusion
4. **UTM Box** — onboard hardware for altitude accuracy

## Timeline

Validation runs are scheduled for the final year of the project, following the
development and integration phases. Each site will run multiple demonstration
scenarios covering a range of operational conditions.


DAEDALUS validation campaign to span four European countries


One of the core enablers of the DAEDALUS concept is the **Common Altitude
Reference System (CARS)**. But what is it, and why does it matter?

## The problem

Aircraft today measure altitude in two fundamentally different ways:

- **Geometric altitude** — height above the WGS84 ellipsoid, measured by GNSS
- **Barometric altitude** — height above a pressure reference level, measured by
  an altimeter

Two drones flying at the same "barometric altitude" could be metres apart
vertically if they are operating in different pressure conditions, or if one
switches reference mid-flight.

<Inset>
  The transition layer — where aircraft switch between barometric and geometric references — wastes
  significant vertical airspace. In dense U-space environments, every metre counts.
</Inset>

## How CARS solves this

CARS defines a unified vertical reference based on geometric altitude (GNSS),
with integrity monitoring to ensure the reported altitude is trustworthy. This
allows:

- **Tighter vertical separation** between drones
- **Predictable altitude deconfliction** across different operators
- **Simplified airspace design** with well-defined altitude layers

## DAEDALUS and CARS

In the DAEDALUS framework, CARS is the foundation on which the Dynamic Airspace
Layering engine operates. Without a common, trusted altitude reference, dynamic
layering cannot guarantee safe separation.

The project will develop and validate the CARS concept through simulations and
real-world flight tests.


Inside CARS: why a common altitude reference matters for U-space


The DAEDALUS project officially kicked off on 15 March 2026, bringing together a
consortium of leading European organisations in U-space research, air traffic
management, and drone technology.

<Inset>
  The project is funded by the SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking under the Horizon Europe programme (Grant
  No. 101288633).
</Inset>

## What is DAEDALUS?

DAEDALUS — **D**ynamic **A**ltitude-**E**nhanced **A**irspace **L**ayerin for
**U**-**S**pace — aims to solve a fundamental challenge in drone traffic
management: how to safely and efficiently use the vertical dimension of
low-level airspace.

Today, drone operations are largely confined to fixed altitude bands or require
complex deconfliction. DAEDALUS will develop a real-time engine that dynamically
assigns vertical layers based on traffic density, mission profiles, and
uncertainty quantification.

## The consortium

The project brings together partners from across Europe, combining expertise in:

- Airspace design and U-space services
- GNSS navigation integrity and security
- Onboard hardware for altitude accuracy
- Formal methods for uncertainty quantification

## Next steps

The first work package will focus on defining operational scenarios and use
cases, with validation campaigns planned across four European countries.


DAEDALUS news