October 9, 2024 - The drone market is still in its early stages, but its potential is limitless, with Italy at the center of attention for leading international companies in the sector. This highlights the urgent need for efficient regulation and the development of new technologies. Additionally, efforts must focus on infrastructure, such as vertiports, U-space for traffic management, safety, and social acceptance.

The challenges are significant, especially considering the limited public funding available to the sector in Italy, which lags far behind other EU countries in this regard.

These were the key points of the opening day of Dronitaly, this year’s theme being innovation and research. The event aims to establish Dronitaly as a national and international hub for exchanging best practices and driving sector development efficiently and promptly. The event concludes on Friday, October 11.

Regulations and Norms for a Safe Ecosystem

Benedetta Fiorini, a member of ENAC's Board of Directors, addressed regulatory aspects, emphasizing that implementing new air mobility services requires a gradual approach to build a sustainable future and a smart mobility system integrating various modes of transport.

“We are creating a secure ecosystem capable of integrating services for territories and citizens, fully aligned with the European Union’s mobility strategy on technological, digital, and environmental sustainability,” Fiorini stated.

In this context, ENAC and South Korea’s Korea Institute of Aviation Safety Technology (KIAST) signed a Memorandum of Understanding at Dronitaly. This is part of ENAC's international cooperation efforts, which include similar agreements across various domains with many other countries.

“What lies ahead is a global challenge, with ENAC recognized as an international leader in promoting innovation, safeguarding rights, and ensuring safety levels through regulation for these emerging operational scenarios, set to become reality soon,” Fiorini concluded.

Public Funding: Italy Lags Behind

During the first roundtable discussion, public funding was a key topic. Nicola Nizzoli, President of Assorpas, highlighted Europe’s significant investments in the sector. Other EU countries have received substantial state support, particularly in Advanced Air Mobility. However, in Italy, this mechanism has yet to gain traction.

“As Assorpas and members of JEDA, we actively participate in ENAC and EASA technical discussions, striving to support and protect all players in the Italian unmanned sector,” Nizzoli added.

The Role of U-space

Another central topic was the "corridors," essential for advancing a truly innovative and safe drone transportation ecosystem. The global drone market has experienced impressive growth in recent years, revolutionizing fields such as agriculture, logistics, and security, powered by advanced technologies like artificial intelligence and automation.

The Observatory on Drones and Advanced Air Mobility at the Politecnico di Milano has mapped over 500 drone use cases globally since 2019, with more than half focused on goods transportation and around 23% on passenger transport. Director Paola Olivares noted that within goods transport, general goods and medical supplies are nearly equal, with the latter experiencing strong growth and set to drive sector development.

“In this context,” said Alberto Iovino, Head of Operational Support and Innovative Air Mobility Management at Enav, “traffic management becomes a critical challenge requiring scalable and innovative solutions to prevent congestion and ensure safety in airspace shared by traditional aircraft and drones. The European regulation paves the way with U-space, a framework of services and procedures designed to manage automated, safe, sustainable, and efficient operations, enabling the safe and sustainable integration of drones into airspace,” he emphasized.

Vertiports, Intermodality, and Varese as a Model of Excellence

The first day of Dronitaly also featured Varese Mayor Davide Galimberti. The city has been collaborating with various entities to enhance connectivity in surrounding areas through new aerial mobility. The vertiport project under study envisions a zero-emissions infrastructure in the city center near the station area, designed to strengthen rapid connections between Malpensa Airport, Canton Ticino, and the Milan metropolitan area. This hub will serve as an intermediate station for drone-taxis carrying passengers and goods.

The project follows an agreement between the Municipality of Varese, FS Italiane Group, and FS Sistemi Urbani to promote tourism, sustainability, and social innovation. This includes a partnership with SEA Aeroporti di Milano and ASST Sette Laghi to use drones for specific medical supplies transportation.

National and International Companies Shine at Dronitaly

Leading companies in the sector participated in the event, including EHang, which debuted its latest autonomous electric passenger drone model in Italy.

“We are the global leader in UAM, offering a comprehensive portfolio of autonomous aerial vehicles for mobility use cases. Our vision is to make low-altitude airspace accessible to everyone in a sustainable and affordable way. Our flagship model, the EH216-S, is the first eVTOL passenger drone to receive type certification, production certification, and standard airworthiness certification from the Civil Aviation Administration of China. We believe Italy is an ideal market for our solutions and look forward to presenting them to all visitors at Dronitaly,” said Andreas Perotti, CMO Europe of EHang.

During the event, Assorpas, Politecnico di Milano, and some associated Italian companies held discussions with South Korean companies participating in the Korean Pavilion. The initiative aimed to foster dialogue between Italy and foreign countries.

Dronitaly is taking place alongside Fueling Tomorrow (focused on fuel transformation and new energy carriers in transport and industry), SAIE (construction sector), and Asphaltica (road construction sector). These events attract audiences interested in the potential use of unmanned vehicles for their industries.

Event Partner: Leonardo.
Platinum Sponsors: Bluenest, EHang, eVertisky, and Polis Consulting.
Gold Sponsors: Abzero, Aiviewgroup, d-flight, Rina, Smartko, and Solapave.

BFWE is a joint venture founded in 2021 by BolognaFiere and Mirumir to advance business projects exploring the economic and social value of water, energy, and new technologies. The events managed by BFWE include:

  • ACCADUEO: International water sector exhibition held biennially (in Bari during even years and Bologna in odd years).
  • Fueling Tomorrow: Focused on fuel transformation and new energy carriers in transport and industry.
  • Dronitaly: Dedicated to professional civilian drone use.

For more information:
Press Office BFWE: Elena Veronelli // +39 393 4680197 // ufficiostampa@mirumir.it // www.bfwe.it

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