Aircraft
European UAV ‘Sense and Avoid’ Trials Make Progress
The MIDCAS project sponsored by the EDA used an Alenia Aermacchi Sky-Y demonstrator UAV in flight trials against conflicting traffic.
The Alenia Aermacchi Sky-Y demomstrator equipped with the combination of ‘sense-and-avoid’ sensors for the recent series of MIDCAS flight tests. (Photo: Alenia Aermacchi)
The Alenia Aermacchi Sky-Y demomstrator equipped with the combination of ‘sense-and-avoid’ sensors for the recent series of MIDCAS flight tests. (Photo: Alenia Aermacchi)

Alenia Aermacchi reported the first successful flight tests of an automatic collision avoidance system for UAVs that does not rely on the cooperation of the conflicting traffic (such as an aircraft that is not equipped or using a transponder). The flight test formed part of ongoing trials of the midair collision avoidance system (MIDCAS) sponsored by the European Defence Agency. Alenia Aermacchi used its Sky-Y medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) UAV demonstrator for the flight tests.