Filenews 14 December 2022
The Unmanned Systems Research Laboratory (USRL) of the Cyprus Institute (IKy) is the first organization in Cyprus, and one of the first in Europe, to have successfully secured Operational Authorizations for unmanned fixed-wing and multi-rotor aerial systems from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
The Operational Authorizations have been issued by the Department of Civil Aviation of Cyprus for use in the "Special Category" of flights. This achievement demonstrates the USRL's compliance with the relevant EU regulation (2019/947), and allows it to operate unmanned aerial systems beyond visual light of sight (BVLOS). It is also worth noting that both Operational Authorizations have been granted for unmanned aerial systems which have been designed and developed entirely by the USRL.
The "Special Category" Operational Authorisations are valid for use by the USRL in Cyprus in accordance with the provisions of the relevant Notices to Airmen (NOTAM), which include the airspace and private runway operated by the USRL in Orounta, as well as the Athalassa National Park in Nicosia. In addition, through a special EASA mechanism, the USRL is now able to transfer this flight authorization to other countries in the European Union.
The USRL is a research infrastructure that operates within the framework of the Centre of Excellence for Climate and Atmospheric Research (CARE-C) of the Cyprus Institute, and deals with the research and development of innovative technologies in the field of UAS. Through its activities, the USRL provides high-quality observations of air pollutants and other relevant parameters, thus supporting efforts to address challenges related to climate change and air pollution. The USRL operates frequent unmanned flights to Cyprus to document and contrast pollution from Europe, Africa and Western Asia, as well as dust aerosols transported to Cyprus from the Sahara and the Middle East. The USRL also supports the Department of Forests by providing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) services to strengthen the existing forest fire management system in Cyprus. In addition, the USRL uses its fleet in a variety of imaging applications, including three-dimensional reconstruction of complex reliefs and monuments.
Securing the Operational Authorizations from the USRL is another proof of the uniqueness and exceptional value provided by the infrastructure, which is widely recognized both in Cyprus and abroad. Recent international activities of the USRL include research campaigns in Cape Verde coordinated by the European Space Agency, as well as in the Amazon rainforest.
More information about the USRL in https://usrl.cyi.ac.cy
