Airspace World 2025 – what to watch for on Wednesday
On the second day of Airspace World 2025, Wednesday 14 May, our five theatres will once again be humming with debate and discussion. You can see the full agenda here, where you can search by topic or speaker but, for now, here are five suggested sessions you won’t want to miss.
AI in the sky: How the EUROCONTROL Maastricht Upper Area Control Centre (MUAC) is harnessing new technology for contrail prevention.
Leidos Theatre – 11:00-11:50
Non-CO₂ emissions are believed to account for up to two-thirds of aviation’s total climate impact, making them a critical focus for environmental innovation. As the aviation industry works to balance its global benefits with environmental ambitions, innovation and technological advancements are opening new pathways to help the industry mitigate its impact on the climate. Contrail prevention is one of the few means available to the industry to achieve this over the short to medium-term.
This panel will explore:
- The initiatives underway at MUAC to support research into contrail prevention.
- Insights from the operational contrail prevention trials.
- The role of Google’s AI technology in enhancing contrail detection and enabling informed operational decision-making.
- The operational challenges associated with a contrail prevention programme and how these challenges can be overcome.
Panellists
Chris Jeeves, Head of Sustainability, Strategy and Performance, EUROCONTROL MUAC
Marylin Bastin, Head of Aviation Sustainability Unit, EUROCONTROL
Sebnem Erzan, Head of Flights, Transport & Travel Sustainability, Google
Vincent Taverniers, Senior Sustainability Expert, EUROCONTROL
The Commercialisation of Drone Operations
Wing Theatre – 12:00–12:25
This session will share key insights from industry leaders NATS, Amazon and Flylogix, pioneers of commercialisation of drone operations who are delivering a diverse range of services which are underpinned by NATS core operational and technological expertise.
Amazon have been delivering packages for over a decade and are continuing to revolutionise the way the world shops by expanding their operation to incorporate speedy, drone delivery services.
Flylogix are leading the way in operating Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations for their offshore oil and gas customers in the North Sea, Scotland, making a significant business impact by improving efficiencies, effectiveness and improving safety.
NATS will discuss the critical role of advanced technology, including their next generation master control room, the new role of the airspace manager, modernisation of airspace and regulatory collaboration that is enabling the commercialisation of these drone services.
Speakers
Charles Tavner, CEO, Flylogix
Duncan Casey, UK Head of Airworthiness & Certification – Prime Air, Amazon
Richard Ellis, New Airspace Users Director, NATS
Navigating the Future of Air Traffic Management: How Open Architecture and Multi-Cloud Solutions Pave the Path for Transformation and Sustainability in the Coming Years
SANS/NERA Theatre – 13:00–13:25
The 2025 European ATM Master Plan charts a path to modernise ANSPs among strong air traffic variation, ambitious sustainability goals, and the integration of new entrants. Adopting cloud technologies is not an option to boost efficiency, resilience, and scalability, it is a pre-requisite. This session will explore the ANSP Cloud Transformation Roadmap and Stakes, addressing key shifts in strategy, technology, and human capital.
Discussions will highlight how cloud adoption enhances efficiency and interoperability while fostering collaboration and structural adaptation. It will also focus on ensuring the full benefits of robust cybersecurity, compliance with regulations, and alignment with global standards while keeping, if needed, the sovereignty on the data and services hosted.
Speakers
Alain Siebert, Chief Technology & Strategy, SESAR JU
Arnaud Motz, Consulting Senior Manager, Cloud Strategy & Transformation, SOPRA STERIA GROUP
Christophe Rouquié, Chief of Technology Officer, DSNA
Friedrich-Wilhelm Menge, CTO Chief Technology Officer, Member of the Executive Board, DFS
Klaus Meier, Chief Technology Officer, Skyguide
Sylvain Chevrier, Chief Cloud Officer, SOPRA STERIA GROUP
Ulf Thibblin, CTO, Director Research, Innovation and Digitalization, LFV
High-capacity resilience – securing ATM continuity without sacrificing traffic flow
Frequentis Theatre – 14:00–14:25
Air Traffic Services must remain operational 24/7, requiring robust contingency plans to avoid interruptions and ensure business continuity. This session highlights best practices for high-capacity fallback solutions, as recommended by ICAO. Additionally, an example virtual Tower Project will demonstrate innovative digital tower solutions to address vulnerabilities in airport operations, such as system failures or emergencies, while enhancing capacity and runway efficiency. Explore how these advancements ensure resilience in ATM, even under challenging conditions.
Speakers
Klaus-Dieter Pfaff, ATM Solution Consultant, Frequentis
Thomas Fraenzl, Head of Sales, Frequentis
Future Research and Innovation Priorities for Safe and Integrated Skies
Viasat Theatre – 15:00–15:50
As a new European Commission has taken office, now is the right moment to consider the priorities for European policies on the full integration of drones into aviation in parallel with the ongoing modernisation of European aviation overall. The European drone stakeholders need to define the added-value and benefits from their large-scale introduction into the European economy. Discussions will also include which programmes and structures will be best suited to fulfil those goals.
The panel will discuss those goals, challenges and priorities against the ongoing early initiatives to define those priorities for this future European Commission and the next Mid-Financial Framework.
Panellists
Andreas Boschen, Executive Director, SESAR JU
Andres van Swalm, CEO, Unifly
Christoph Raab, Secretary General, Alliance for New Mobility Europe (AME)
Daniel García-Monteavaro, Head of drone business development department, ENAIRE
Daniel Gutierrez Castro, UAS Engineering Manager, ITG
