9 Research, development and innovation
Photo: Avinor
Aviation and the use of the airspace are facing considerable structural changes. This applies to technological developments, new areas of application for the use of the airspace and the organisation of the use of the airspace. Norway is a knowledge-based society with an emphasis on strong decision-making bases for new strategies and regulations.
9.1 Need for Norwegian RDI regarding airspace
Important decisions and regulations regarding airspace use are being initiated and developed under international and regional auspices. Large organisations and enterprises have access to, in part, in-house RDI facilities or are able to purchase such facilities. In many cases, Norway can gain access to such RDI activities and the results thereof, but not always.
Norway also needs to be able to assess national needs on its own terms and Norwegian conditions that are not included in international and regional projects and supporting documents. To date, no comprehensive RDI projects have been established that address the opportunities of the airspace, or the opportunities and obstacles for Norway in connection with international and regional initiatives and regulations. There are several environments that address aviation, but it must be acknowledged that there is a dearth of necessary evaluation capacity regarding the airspace in Norway.
There is a need to systematically increase knowledge regarding airspace use and the airspace as a resource for Norway in the areas of transport, business development, fundamental societal functions, tourism and leisure. There is a need for a national RDI programme for airspace and air traffic management, e.g., directed at introducing new or significantly improved processes, systems and services.
There is a need to develop RDI environments that can contribute with factual bases, knowledge from research and practical experience as a basis for policy decisions regarding the airspace as a resource for Norway.
9.2 Ongoing RDI activities
The Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI) is the defence sector’s key research institution, the purpose of which is to conduct applied research and development (R&D) for the needs of the defence sector. FFI also solves many big and small tasks for others, e.g., public and private enterprises with responsibility for public security and preparedness. On topics relating to the airspace, FFI has, among other things, supported the Norwegian Armed Forces in assessing what consequences and possibilities the introduction of SES has for military aviation in Norway. FFI is also researching the use of airplanes, helicopters, drones, as well as detection and possible handling thereof, relating to military purposes.
An important RDI institution outside of Norway is EU/SESAR. As the technological pillar in Europe’s ambitious SES initiative, SESAR is the mechanism that coordinates and concentrates all of the EU’s RDI activities in the air navigation sector and combines the expertise throughout Europe to develop a future-oriented air navigation sector in the European airspace. Currently, SESAR brings together approximately 3000 experts in aviation, where several Norwegian companies, including Avinor, SINTEF and Indra Navia are involved.
With a budget of EUR 1.6bn until 2024, the current research programme, SESAR 2020, will support projects to provide solutions in four key areas for aviation: airport operations, the European network, air traffic services and technological aids. From 2024, a continued SESAR programme is planned, with European research funding to continue the future-oriented development of European aviation.
Norwegian actors have the same possibilities as EU member states to receive funds from the EU’s research and development programmes in order to develop the airspace and airport solutions of the future, but Norwegian actors will not have access to packages of measures for the implementation of these solutions. Therefore, there is a need for Norwegian actors to focus their RDI efforts on the areas where the need for competence is greatest and where, through RDI, it is possible to secure a better basis for the implementation of common European solutions at a later date. An example of this is the project that examines the possibilities of curved approaches to achieve noise pollution reductions, lower fuel consumption and reduced emissions of greenhouse gases where Norwegian actors are actively participating.
Eurocontrol also has a knowledge base and evaluation capacity to which Norway has the possibility to gain access. The EUROCONTROL Experimental Centre in Brétigny outside of Paris conducts research and development and a large part of Eurocontrol’s efforts in SESAR take place in Brétigny.
The NATO Industrial Advisory Group (NIAG) leads and coordinates NATO member countries’ resources in the areas of research, development and capacity building. On assignment from the North Atlantic Council (NAC), NIAG has a close cooperation with NATO’s senior committees, joint headquarters and advises NAC and the senior committees in the form of research reports (NIAG studies). The reports that are of relevance in this context are those commissioned by the following senior committees: the Aviation Committee (AVC (ATM services, Airworthiness)), Command, Control, Communication Board (C3B(GNSS, ADS-B)) and the Military Committee (MC (UAV))NATO/EUROCONTROL). The ATM Security Coordinating Group (NEASCOG) was formally established in 2003 by NATO and Eurocontrol as a forum for addressing the threat that was identified following the attacks on September 11, 2001. NEASCOG also facilitates larger NATO exercises and mobility of larger air forces (Rapid Air Mobility – RAM). NEASCOG uses experts from member states in the areas of air navigation and aviation organisations including ICAO, IATA, EU etc.
9.3 Norwegian ATM actors
There are a number of examples of technological developments in Norway by Norwegian ATM actors having produced ground-breaking safety benefits in aviation, both domestically and in the rest of the world. This industry will continue to develop and deliver future technology of a high quality on the international arena. This may have an impact not only on the individual enterprise, but also for society by ensuring robust infrastructure in Norway.
Critical societal infrastructure developed in Norway is in use at all Norwegian airports and along the country’s flight paths to support the airplanes en route between airports. This includes e.g., radio equipment, navigation equipment, display equipment, decision support tools for air traffic controllers, control room equipment and more. Such knowledge-based activities under Norwegian auspices have to form part of the overall understanding of the robustness of available Norwegian infrastructure and, especially in challenging times, it may be valuable to safeguard such environments with critical societal competence. In crisis situations, it may become challenging to obtain such equipment from other countries, and we could face a safety problem in that there is a lack of competence to maintain and operate the equipment that is already deployed at Norwegian airports. The Norwegian Government’s policy described in Meld. St. 9 (Report to the Storting (white paper)) (2015–2016) National Defence Industry Policy covers this type of services and is linked with our ability to safeguard national security.
9.4 Strategy
The Norwegian Government will:
- Facilitate the systematic enhancement of knowledge regarding airspace use and the airspace, including considering the establishment of an RDI programme that can deliver research-based knowledge regarding the use of the airspace and development trends in a 10-20-year perspective.