ALAIRE
Enabling connected UAS operations through 5G communications and U-space services
EN, 23 2026 | 5 min.
Design, planning and validation of 5G connectivity for vertiports and drone corridors
ALAIRE-USPACE is an R&D project focused on enabling safe, reliable and scalable drone operations within U-space environments through the integration of advanced mobile communications and digital airspace services. The project aims to deploy and validate a real operational demonstrator for unmanned aerial systems (UAS), targeting institutional services, safety and emergency operations, territorial management and logistics use cases.
The initiative addresses the design and deployment of a U-space ecosystem combining a modular vertiport, defined aerial corridors and mobile communication infrastructures based on 4G and 5G networks. Special attention is given to ensuring continuity of service, quality of communications and real-time supervision of connected drones, in compliance with European U-space regulatory and cybersecurity requirements.
Within this framework, the project includes the analysis and planning of a 5G communication corridor between the Siete Aguas Aerodrome and the city of Llíria, as well as the development of digital tools and hardware components required to support connected drone operations under real conditions.
Our role
Fivecomm leads the work package dedicated to mobile communications and represents the technological pillar that enables secure, stable and efficient connectivity between UAS and U-space services.
The main objectives of Fivecomm within the project are:
To equip UAS with native 5G communications capabilities.
To design and plan a 5G network that provides coverage for vertiports and aerial corridors.
To monitor and assess the quality of 5G services in real time during drone operations.
This work package ensures that drones operated by participating entities can maintain continuous, secure and verifiable communications with U-space systems, fulfilling both operational and regulatory requirements.
To achieve these objectives, Fivecomm leads the following activities:
Design of 5G management and monitoring services, defining the functionalities required to supervise network performance and communications at drone level.
Development of a 5G planning and monitoring tool, capable of estimating service quality over vertiports and routes using a 3D digital model of the environment, and of capturing real-time performance data from connected drones.
5G coverage planning and analysis, using the developed tool to assess existing networks and to design optimized 5G deployments for UAS services, supported by digital terrain and environment models.
Design and prototyping of a 5G communication hardware module to be embedded on board the drones, enabling connectivity over public and private 5G networks.
Integration and validation of the 5G module and monitoring platform in controlled environments, including flight tests at the Siete Aguas Aerodrome and the corridor towards Llíria, as well as alternative private 5G SA scenarios when required.
Financing and partners
ALAIRE-USPACE is a collaborative R&D project funded by Ivace+i and the European Union, within programmes aimed at fostering technological innovation and knowledge transfer to the industrial ecosystem.
The project is coordinated by the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) through the WUAS-UPV research group and involves a strong regional consortium including Fivecomm, Abionica Solutions, Urjato and Pleyad, with the collaboration of the Mancomunitat Camp de Túria and the Ajuntament de Llíria.
Through this collaboration, ALAIRE-USPACE contributes to positioning advanced 5G-enabled U-space solutions as a key enabler for the future of connected, safe and efficient drone operations.
