S3
SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking

Transition towards high performance of air-ground connectivity (multilink)

Funds industrial research on next-generation air-ground datalinks, digital voice and using aircraft as weather sensors.

The SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking, operating under Horizon Europe, expects to fund two Research and Innovation Actions for this topic, worth a combined EUR 14,000,000, each receiving a EUR 2,000,000–7,000,000 EU contribution as a lump sum at a 70% funding rate. Proposals go through the standard single-stage EU Funding & Tenders Portal process over a maximum 36-month project, are scored 40% excellence,

This call funds industrial research completing successor technologies to VHF datalink for air-ground communications, including hyper-connected ATM that safely blends commercial 5G and satellite links with legacy safety links, and digital voice services to eventually replace VHF radio. It also wants work turning aircraft into weather sensors, feeding humidity, icing and turbulence data to ground systems, plus LIDAR-based sensing to detect obstacles, icing and runway conditions. Proposals on hyper-connected ATM and digital voice must reach TRL6 with live flight trials, and must address civil-military spectrum compatibility and cybersecurity for the new public-network links.

CycleiHow often this grant runs - e.g. annually, on a rolling basis, or a one-off call.No fixed schedule
Next deadlineiThe next date applications are due. Rolling means you can apply any time.-
Decision timeiTypical time from the deadline to the funder's decision.-
Project durationiHow long the funded work is expected to run.1–36 months
Award typeiThe form of funding - grant, equity, loan, tax credit, etc.Grant
Match fundingiThe share of project costs you must cover yourself. 0% = fully funded.30%
Funding pooliThe total budget available across all awards in this round.€14M

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S3
Closed

Airborne capabilities for supporting reducing ATM environmental footprint

🇪🇺SESAR 3 JU · European Union

Funds research on climate-optimised flight trajectories, wake-energy retrieval and geometric altimetry to cut aviation's footprint.

AerospaceClimate Tech
€3M – €6M
S3
Closed

ATM impact on climate change

🇪🇺SESAR 3 JU · European Union

Funds research into how air traffic management affects noise, air quality and the climate.

AerospaceClimate Tech+1
€500K – €1M
S3
Closed

Digital flight rules

🇪🇺SESAR 3 JU · European Union

Funds research designing a new digital flight-rules concept for certified crewed and uncrewed aircraft.

AerospaceMobility
€500K – €1M
S3
Closed

Fast-track Enabling innovative air mobility (IAM) / Vertical take-off and landing capable aircraft (VCA) (crewed and uncrewed) operations

🇪🇺SESAR 3 JU · European Union

Funds innovation projects on vertiport management, automated flight and IFR procedures for crewed and uncrewed air taxis.

AerospaceRobotics+1
€2M – €5M
S3
Closed

Fast-track Extending U-space eco-system

🇪🇺SESAR 3 JU · European Union

Funds innovation projects building 5G-based communication, navigation and surveillance capabilities for drones and vertiports.

AerospaceIoT & Edge+1
€2M – €5M
S3
Closed

Fast-track U3 U-space advanced services and CNS capabilities

🇪🇺SESAR 3 JU · European Union

Funds innovation projects building advanced drone traffic-management services for shared airspace with crewed aircraft.

AerospaceIoT & Edge+1
€2M – €5M