Brussels, 27 September 2024
A key step forward for the future of urban and regional mobility was taken today with the launch of PRIAM (Planning Regional-Scale Multimodal Operations for Innovative Air Mobility Services), a new project supported by SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking (JU). PRIAM aims to integrate Innovative Air Mobility (IAM) services into Europe's regional and urban transport systems, bringing us closer to a future where air taxis, VTOLs, and autonomous aircraft seamlessly link cities and regions.
The project partners gathered at the SESAR 3 JU headquarters in Brussels to kick off this
visionary initiative, which promises to reshape regional connectivity and elevate urban mobility to new heights.
PRIAM’s core vision is that, within the next decade, regional-scale IAM services will become a key part of Europe’s Mobility as a Service (MaaS) ecosystem. These services will help solve regional connectivity challenges, improving passenger experiences, enhancing capacity and efficiency, and minimising environmental impacts. Leveraging digital twins, AI tools, and mobility data spaces, the PRIAM results will support decisions on the deployment and operation of IAM solutions across Europe.
A Key Step for Regional Connectivity
The project’s primary goal is to develop a comprehensive data analytics and modelling toolset to facilitate the seamless integration of IAM into multimodal regional transport networks across Europe. This solution will anticipate passenger needs, forecast IAM adoption patterns, plan resilient infrastructure networks, and optimize service performance through multimodal data sharing and advanced passenger information systems.
The PRIAM Solution will:
Understand passenger needs for regional travel.
Anticipate IAM adoption and usage patterns.
Plan resilient IAM infrastructure networks connected to other transport modes.
Optimise IAM service performance by leveraging multimodal data sharing and
passenger information systems.
PRIAM’s Key Objectives
The project will focus on the following four objectives:
Impact Assessment Framework: Defining a framework to evaluate IAM vehicle concepts and business models in addressing regional connectivity challenges and passenger needs.
Development of the PRIAM Solution: Creating a SESAR-based data analytics and modelling solution to plan the integration of IAM infrastructure and services into multimodal networks.
Regional Case Studies: Demonstrating the capabilities of PRIAM through case studies in various European regions, showcasing improvements in passenger experience, capacity, environmental sustainability, and cost efficiency.
Recommendations for Large-Scale IAM Deployment: Offering strategic recommendations for IAM services & large-scale implementation, supported by a thorough cost-benefit analysis.
Driving Innovation and Synergies Across Europe
The project brings together 7 partners: Nommon, TML, Deep Blue (along with its affiliate HAIKAI), ENAC, Bluenest by Globalvia, ARC, and Aeroports de Catalunya. Each partner brings unique expertise to PRIAM, spanning big data, AI, transport planning, human-centred design, airport management, and multimodal coordination.
PRIAM’s innovation potential is vast, and its success will depend on strong collaborations with other SESAR initiatives, including MAIA, MultiModX, and SIGN-AIR. The project will also tap into transversal synergies with AI-driven solutions, unlocking new possibilities for autonomous and sustainable urban mobility. Through these innovations, PRIAM is expected to accelerate the deployment of regional IAM services across Europe, improving the efficiency and sustainability of future air mobility.
The SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking is an institutionalised European private-public partnership set up to accelerate through research and innovation the delivery of the Digital European Sky. The partnership is developing cutting-edge technological solutions to manage conventional aircraft, drones, air taxis and vehicles flying at higher altitudes. The SESAR 3 JU partnership brings together the EU, Eurocontrol, and more than 50 organisations covering the entire aviation value chain, from airports, airspace users of all categories, air navigation service providers, drone operators and service providers, the manufacturing industry and scientific community. The partnership also works closely with the regulatory and standardisation bodies, notably EASA and Eurocae, as well as key stakeholders, such as professional staff organisations, the space and military communities and global partners.