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Grant Analysis

Purpose & Target

Core objective: To significantly advance highly automated Air Traffic Management (ATM) solutions for all airspace users, focusing on advanced navigation, surveillance, and automation technologies.
Target recipients: Organizations and consortia capable of performing Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) in advanced aviation technology.
SECTOR-SPECIFIC: Aviation, Air Traffic Management, Aerospace, Technology.
Geographic scope: EU Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries.
Key filtering criteria: Projects must contribute to highly automated ATM, performance-based CNS enablers (Communications, Navigation, Surveillance), integration of advanced airborne automation, and accommodating diverse airspace users (crewed, uncrewed, Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS)).
Grant frequency: This is a single-stage call within the SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking's Bi-Annual Work Programme 2024-2025, which is part of the recurring Horizon Europe framework.

Financial Structure

Funding type: Grants awarded under this call will take the form of a lump sum.
Grant range (per project): Minimum 3,000,000.0 EUR to maximum 6,000,000.0 EUR for the specific topic HORIZON-SESAR-2025-DES-IR-02-WA5-2.
Funding rate: A 70% funding rate applies to all beneficiaries, regardless of their legal status.
Eligible costs: Eligible costs will be defined within the lump sum amount. This means a fixed amount is provided for the entire project, simplifying detailed cost reporting.
Co-financing: Applicants are expected to cover the remaining 30% of project costs.
Currency: EUR (Euro).
Indirect cost policies: Indirect costs are covered within the lump sum calculation, not as a separate percentage.
Financial guarantees: Not explicitly specified as required for lump sum grants, as the funding is disbursed based on achievement of agreed deliverables.

Eligibility Requirements

Organizational Type and Structure

Eligible organization types: 'Beneficiaries' of any legal status are eligible (e.g., companies, research organizations, universities, public bodies). Specific definitions for 'SME' or 'Startup' are not explicitly provided.
Partnership/Consortium: A collaboration agreement is required for successful project implementation. Mutual access to the background and results of ongoing and closed linked actions is also required (see 'Previous Relationship with Funder').

Geographic Location

Eligible countries: Applicants must be established in EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries (as described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes).

Financial and Operational Capacity

Financial and operational capacity: Must meet criteria described in Annex C of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.

Previous Relationship with Funder

Collaboration requirement: Projects awarded under this topic will be linked to previous actions funded under Call HORIZON-SESAR-2022-DES-IR-01 and Call HORIZON-SESAR-2022-DES-ER-01. Beneficiaries must ensure mutual access to background and results of these linked actions, if necessary for implementation or exploitation.

Application Process

Application Deadlines & Submission

Submission deadline: 2025-09-16 00:00:00+00.
Submission system: Proposals must be submitted via the online Funding & Tenders Portal.
Application format: Part A uses the standard Horizon Europe RIA/IA template. Part B requires a specific SESAR 3 application form which is available in the Submission System.
Supporting documents: A detailed budget table for lump sums is required as part of the application.

Project Timeline

Project duration: The maximum project duration is 36 months.

Post-Award Requirements

Dissemination obligations: Beneficiaries must proactively share, on a royalty-free basis, all relevant results with other grants awarded under the same call. These obligations must be outlined in the proposal and incorporated into the grant agreement.
Exploitation obligations: Results must be made available for reuse under fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory conditions through a well-defined mechanism using a trusted repository, in line with objectives set in Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2085, the SRIA, and the European ATM Master Plan.
Standardisation: If the purpose of exploiting results is related to standardisation, beneficiaries must grant a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to these results.
Linked Actions: Beneficiaries working on linked actions must ensure mutual access to the background and results of ongoing and closed linked actions (specifically HORIZON-SESAR-2022-DES-IR-01 and HORIZON-SESAR-2022-DES-ER-01), should this be necessary to implement tasks or exploit results.

Application Assistance

Support channels: Applicants can seek guidance from the SESAR 3 JU Call Helpdesk ([email protected]), the Online Manual, Horizon Europe Programme Guide, Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ, Research Enquiry Service, National Contact Points (NCPs), Enterprise Europe Network (EEN), IT Helpdesk, European IPR Helpdesk, CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk and ETSI Research Helpdesk, and the Partner Search tool.

Evaluation Criteria

Scoring Criteria

Excellence: 40% weighting.
Impact: 40% weighting.
Implementation: 20% weighting.
Thresholds: Applications must attain a specific threshold to be considered for funding.

Portfolio Balance

Selection criteria: Grants will be awarded based on ranking, but also to ensure a balanced portfolio across topics within the same work area, provided the application meets the threshold.

Expected Outcomes & Innovation

Specific outcomes: Projects must significantly advance IR-5-03 'Highly automated ATM for all airspace users'. This includes development of performance-based CNS enablers (e.g., assured navigation, alternative positioning, navigation and timing (A-PNT)), integration of advanced airborne automation, and interfacing with U-space.
Research & Innovation scope: Proposals should cover R&I needs such as developing on-board non-cooperative sensors for detect and avoid (DAA), enhanced automation for space-launch management, IFR RPAS integration in various airspaces (classes D to G), Dual-frequency multi-constellation (DFMC) GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems) based on SBAS/ABAS receivers, High-altitude operations (HAO) GNSS, and Airborne-based alternative – Position, Navigation and Timing (A-PNT).
Technical Feasibility: Research must consider the technical feasibility for detecting non-cooperative intruders and their integration with current collision avoidance algorithms.

Sustainability & Efficiency

Impact expectations: Solutions should aim to reduce noise footprint, fuel consumption, and emissions.

Gender Dimension

Gender integration: The integration of a gender dimension (sex and gender analysis) into Research & Innovation content is not a mandatory requirement for this topic.

Compliance & Special Requirements

Regulatory Compliance

Network protection: This call is subject to restrictions for the protection of European communication networks.
Avionics certification: Research on Detect and Avoid (DAA) capabilities must address avionics certification and regulatory aspects.

Dual-Use Technologies

Civil/Military dual use: Several key technologies within the scope (e.g., non-cooperative sensors, certain A-PNT solutions) are identified as civil/military dual-use.

Intellectual Property (IP)

IP policies: Beneficiaries are subject to specific exploitation obligations regarding generated results, including making them available for reuse and potentially granting royalty-free non-exclusive licenses for standardisation purposes. Mutual access to background and results of linked actions is also mandated.

Risk Management

Resilience: Proposed solutions should enhance service resilience (e.g., to radio frequency interference (RFI) such as jamming and spoofing), availability, and continuity of PNT (Position, Navigation, and Timing) information.

Collaboration & Linkages

Project linkages: Projects awarded under this topic are explicitly linked to and must collaborate with actions from Call HORIZON-SESAR-2022-DES-IR-01 and Call HORIZON-SESAR-2022-DES-ER-01. This implies a need for coordination and information exchange between projects.

Grant Details