The Abruzzo Region, after being awarded the title of Italy’s Capital of Culture 2026, aims at making life in the inland mountain and hilltop villages even more sustainable to fight against depopulation and low birth rates. In this setting, the U-ELCOME (U-space European CoMmon dEpLoyment) project is the first project to use remotely-piloted and satellite-controlled drones to transport medicines in remote areas of the region. The drones, still in a testing phase, will be able to cover a distance of 35 km with pre-defined routes and the possibility of making intermediate stops to recharge. Then, the medicines will be distributed by the hospitals of L’Aquila and Avezzano in special hubs located in the municipalities that are involved in the test, where a pharmacist will collect them and deliver to end users.
The project, which has been recently presented at the Fucino Space Centre, results from large local synergies involving the Sirente-Velino Regional National Park (AQ), Telespazio (joint venture between Leonardo & Thales Alenia Space), the Italian Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC), the local Healthcare Unit 1 (ASL1), the municipalities of the area and the Select Committee of Mayors of the ASL.
Moreover, U-ELCOME is included in the SESAR 3JU Digital Sky Demonstrators European initiative coordinated by the Eurocontrol Innovation hub, which involves 51 partners including Italy, Spain and France.Sponsored by the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environmental Executive Agency (CINEA), SESAR JU aims at implementing a “European digital sky” consistently with the Green Deal and “A Europe fit for the digital age” initiatives. The two themes related to SESAR covered by the call, “U-space e mobilità aerea urbana” and “Aviation Green Deal”, have been selected among nine items outlined in the project of Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA). The demonstrators, to be tested from 2022 until 2025, have been financed with a total budget of €60 millionn.
According to Paolo Minciacchi, head of Telespazio’s Geoinformation business line and CEO of e-GEOS: “U-ELCOME represents a significant acceleration towards the future”.
