S3
SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking

Next generation ATS platform for airport operations

Funds industrial research building AI-enabled, cyber-resilient next-generation airport air traffic control platforms.

Evaluation weighs Excellence and Impact at forty per cent each and Implementation at twenty per cent, on top of the general Horizon award criteria. Every applicant who submits a proposal is invited to a hearing, where the evaluation committee can ask for clarifications that get folded into the final assessment and may change the score, and the committee itself can include representatives of EU ins

This call funds industrial research building the next generation of airport air traffic control platforms, targeting automation level 4 with a trustworthy-AI approach across surface management, runway-throughput optimisation and human-machine teaming. It wants these platforms to be cyber-resilient, including post-quantum cryptography where appropriate, and to cut aviation's climate impact through sustainable taxi operations and environmental-performance dashboards. Consortia must design for the specific needs of military users and interfaces with innovative air mobility and U-space traffic alongside conventional civil airport traffic.

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.-
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.€24M

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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