The SESAR 3 JU has created an innovation pipeline through which promising ideas are explored and then moved out of the ‘lab’ into real operations. The pipeline consists of four distinct strands:

Exploratory Research

Explores new concepts beyond those identified in the European ATM Master Plan or emerging technologies and methods. Discover Exploratory research projects

Industrial Research and Validation

Assesses and validates technical and operational concepts in simulated and real operational environments. This process transforms concepts into SESAR Solutions. Discover Industrial research and validation projects

Digital Sky Demonstrators

Test SESAR Solutions on a much larger scale and in real operations. Discover Digital sky demonstrators

Fast-track innovation and uptake

Accelerates the development of high risk/high gain projects with the perspective of shortening the time to market for disruptive and highly innovative solutions. 

The SESAR research and innovation programme is designed as an innovation pipeline, made up of exploratory research, industrial research and validation and very large-scale demonstrations/demonstrators, where ideas are transformed into tangible solutions.

The SESAR research and innovation programme is designed as an innovation pipeline, made up of exploratory research, industrial research and validation and very large-scale demonstrations/demonstrators, where ideas are transformed into tangible solutions.

The research takes place across 70 projects and in over 50 test beds all around Europe (simulation platforms, on-board commercial flights, dedicated airport testbeds and air traffic control centres), which validate concepts and candidate solutions. The testing is not limited to a specific location, but can be used to test multiple environments irrespective of the location where the physical validation is held.

Get the highlights from some of the SESAR research and development (R&D) activities that took place over the course of 2022. The brochure features updates from each strand of the programme: exploratory research, industrial research and very-large scale demonstrations.

SESAR Solutions refer to new or improved operational procedures or technologies that aim to contribute to the modernisation of the European and global ATM system.  Framed within the European ATM Master Plan, these solutions address all parts of the ATM value chain, from airports, air traffic services to the network, as well as the underlying systems architectures and technological enablers, which are validated in real day-to-day operations.