The SMART project pioneers a harmonised framework for the secure and efficient integration of military unmanned uncrewed systems (UAS) into the evolving U-space ecosystem, addressing one of the most urgent challenges in European airspace management. While U-space regulations enable high-density civilian drone operations, they lack mechanisms for military mission prioritisation, operational confidentiality and seamless dual-use governance.

SMART introduces the tiered flight authorisation model (TFAM), which guarantees automatic precedence for military and emergency operations while upholding fairness, transparency and safety for civilian users through compensation, rerouting and equity protocols. Its architecture features cyber-resilient information exchange interfaces, encrypted communications and role-based access control, thereby protecting sensitive military data while enabling operational coordination.

The project aims to redefine human-machine interaction in automated U-space environments by developing adaptive human-machine interfaces (HMIs), explainable AI decision support and digital assistants to ensure operators retain supervisory authority and trust in automation. SMART follows a scenario-driven, multi-agent simulation methodology to model and validate foundational concepts, supported by extensive stakeholder engagement and alignment with EU/NATO standards. Beginning at TRL0 and culminating in TRL1, SMART delivers validated models, frameworks and simulation results, establishing a vital research foundation for future dual-use airspace management across Europe.