U-Space airspaces and U-space Services

The use of drones for commercial or other purposes, already envisaged in Art. 8 of the 1944 Chicago Convention on international civil aviation, has been constantly growing for several decades. Although desirable for its positive effects on the economy, the development of the sector needs to be governed, as it could pose problems in terms of safety, security, environmental protection and privacy protection. In consideration of this, the European Union has intervened in the matter, adopting, inter alia, a system of regulations no. 664/2021, 665/2021 and 666/2021 aimed primarily at ensuring safety, put at risk in areas where a large number of simultaneous unmanned aircraft system (UAS) operations are expected or those in which UAS operate together with manned aircraft. In particular, Regulation 664/2021 contains the regulatory framework for U-space, an initiative launched in 2016 by the European Commission aimed at ensuring the safe and secure integration of drones into airspace. It provides for the designation by States of Uspace airspace, in which operations conducted with drones must be assisted by mandatory U-space services. The services in question can only be provided by certified suppliers. Starting from the definition of U-space airspace, this chapter will analyse the power/duty of States to designate the spaces in question. The survey will then focus on the certification of U-space service providers, exploring qualifying and disciplinary aspects. We will then move on to examine the mandatory U-space services and common information services with particular attention to their qualification and its impact on the applicable regulations.