Airborne capabilities for supporting reducing ATM environmental footprint

This funding program targets research and innovation entities across Europe and eligible non-EU countries, aiming to foster advancements in airborne capabilities that significantly reduce the environmental footprint of Air Traffic Management (ATM). The program seeks to support projects that contribute to a more sustainable aviation sector by optimizing flight trajectories and enhancing altimetry systems.

This program funds research and innovation activities focused on developing advanced airborne technologies and operational concepts to minimize the environmental impact of air traffic management. Projects should address key areas such as environmentally optimized flight planning, wake energy retrieval, and the integration of precise geometric altimetry for improved efficiency.

This funding is provided as a lump sum grant under the Horizon Europe framework, offering a 70% funding rate for all beneficiaries. Individual grants can range from 3,000,000 € to 6,000,000 €, with a maximum project duration of 36 months. The indicative annual budget for the cluster of related topics in 2025 is 30,000,000 €.

Applicants must adhere to specific admissibility criteria, financial and operational capacity checks, and strict collaboration requirements, including a mandatory collaboration agreement for linked actions. Projects are also subject to additional obligations regarding dissemination and exploitation of results, promoting sharing and reuse of generated outcomes.

The application process is a single-stage submission, requiring applicants to use specific templates for Part A and Part B of the application form. Evaluation is based on specific award criteria with defined weightings for Excellence, Impact, and Implementation, and aims to ensure a balanced portfolio of awarded grants.

This funding program operates under the comprehensive legal framework of Horizon Europe and specific regulations governing Joint Undertakings, ensuring its mandate and operational guidelines are clearly defined by European Union law. Key documents include Council Regulations and Work Programmes.