Core Objective: To significantly advance Air Traffic Management (ATM) through in-depth investigation and application of quantum sensing, computing, and post-quantum cryptography.
Target Recipient Type and Size: Suitable for organizations with capabilities in advanced research and innovation actions. No specific size restrictions are indicated, making it accessible to various entities.
SECTOR-SPECIFIC
Geographic Scope: Entities from EU Member States and Associated Countries are eligible, as defined in Annex B of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.
Key Filtering Criteria: Focus on cutting-edge quantum technologies (sensing, computing, and cryptography) with direct applications or implications for Air Traffic Management.
Grant Frequency and Program Context: This is a specific topic within the SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking Bi-Annual Work Programme (BAWP) 2024-2025, operating under the broader framework of Horizon Europe. It represents an ongoing opportunity within a multi-year research program.
Financial Structure
Funding is provided in the form of a lump sum contribution, covering eligible costs as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021.
For this specific topic (HORIZON-SESAR-2025-DES-ER-03-WA1-3), the expected grant contribution per project ranges from EUR 500,000 to EUR 1,000,000.
The total budget allocated for the entire HORIZON-SESAR-2025-DES-ER-03 call (which includes this topic and others) is EUR 24,000,000 for 2025.
The currency for all financial amounts is EUR.
As a lump sum grant, traditional co-financing percentages are not applicable; the lump sum itself covers the agreed-upon activities.
Financial reporting requirements follow the lump sum model, detailed in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Eligibility Requirements
Organization Type
Eligible types are not explicitly limited, but typically include: research organizations, universities, SMEs, and large enterprises capable of conducting Research and Innovation Actions (RIAs) under Horizon Europe.
Applicants must possess the necessary financial and operational capacity as outlined in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Geographic Location
Eligible countries are those defined in Annex B of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes, which includes:
EU Member States: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.
All Horizon Europe Associated Countries.
Certain non-EU/non-Associated Countries where specific funding provisions have been made (refer to the Horizon Europe Programme Guide for details).
Technical Expertise
Projects require expertise in quantum computing, quantum sensing, post-quantum cryptography, and their applications within Air Traffic Management (ATM).
Awareness of the European ATM communications infrastructure is crucial, especially for cryptography-related proposals.
Other Conditions
The call is subject to restrictions related to the protection of European communication networks.
Consortium Requirements
Collaboration and the formation of consortia are expected and highly encouraged. Applicants should anticipate needing to share relevant results and ensure mutual access to background and outcomes for linked actions.
Application Process
Application Timeline
The submission session became available on 2025-04-01.
The application deadline is 2025-09-16 00:00:00+0000.
The maximum project duration is 30 months, which includes a dedicated 6-month period for communications, dissemination, and exploitation activities at the end of the project lifecycle.
Submission Process
Applications must be submitted electronically via the Funding & Tenders Portal's submission service.
The call operates under a single-stage submission model.
Required documentation includes:
Standard application form (Part A only) - available in the Submission System.
SESAR 3 application form (Part B) - specific to this call, also available in the Submission System.
A detailed budget table (HE LS).
Applicants are advised to submit enquiries at least 2 weeks before the deadline, as timely answers cannot be guaranteed shortly before the cut-off.
The Online Manual, providing guidance from proposal submission to grant management.
The Horizon Europe Programme Guide for detailed program structure and priorities.
The Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ and IT Helpdesk.
The Research Enquiry Service.
National Contact Points (NCPs) within and outside the EU.
The Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) for SME-focused advice.
The European IPR Helpdesk for intellectual property matters.
CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk and ETSI Research Helpdesk for standardisation guidance.
A Partner Search tool to help find collaborating organizations.
Post-Award Requirements
Beneficiaries must formally acknowledge and incorporate additional dissemination and exploitation obligations into their proposal and Annex I of the grant agreement.
Evaluation Criteria
Award Criteria
Specific award criteria are detailed in Annex D of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and subsection 1.4 of the SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking Bi-Annual Work Programme (BAWP) 2024-2025.
Quality and Excellence
Proposals will be assessed on the depth of exploration into how quantum technologies (computing, sensing, cryptography) can be applied to and impact Air Traffic Management.
For post-quantum cryptography, proposals must demonstrate a strong awareness of the existing European ATM communications infrastructure.
Justification is required for any proposed alternative applications of quantum sensing to ATM.
Impact Expectations
Expected impacts include significant advancements in ATM capabilities, such as:
Improved trajectory optimization, traffic flow optimization, and emergency/contingency management.
Enhanced separation management and network impact assessment functionalities.
Potential for reducing operational costs and environmental/societal impact.
Accelerating machine learning algorithms and fostering breakthroughs in data analysis and optimization problems.
Contributions to climate modeling and environmental assessments.
Dissemination and Exploitation
Proactive efforts to share all relevant results, royalty-free, with other grants under the same call are mandatory.
Results must be made available for reuse under fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory conditions, utilizing a trusted repository.
If the exploitation purpose is standardisation, a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to the results must be granted.
For projects working on 'linked actions', mutual access to background information and results of ongoing and closed linked actions is required to facilitate implementation and exploitation.
Compliance & Special Requirements
Regulatory Compliance
Projects must comply with Council Regulation (EU) 2021/2085, which established Joint Undertakings under Horizon Europe.
Adherence to the EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509 is mandatory.
Data Protection and Intellectual Property
Generated results must be made available for reuse through a clearly defined mechanism, utilizing a trusted repository.
If the exploitation of results pertains to standardisation, a non-exclusive, royalty-free license must be granted.
For projects that are 'linked actions', mutual access to background information and results of ongoing and closed linked actions is required.
Security and Risk Management
This call is subject to specific restrictions aimed at protecting European communication networks.
Research into post-quantum cryptography emphasizes the critical need for securing ATM infrastructure against future quantum threats, highlighting inherent security considerations.
Ethical Standards
All research activities must adhere to the ethical standards and principles outlined in Horizon Europe guidelines.
Strategic Alignment
Projects are expected to align with the objectives set forth in the European ATM Master Plan and the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA).
Innovation Requirements
The core objective is to significantly advance ATM through novel applications of quantum sensing and computing, implying a high degree of innovation.
Research is encouraged to explore how quantum computing could impact ATM, even for technologies not yet widely available.
Cross-Cutting Considerations
The research should consider potential environmental and societal impacts, including contributions to climate modeling and environmental impact assessments.
Grant Details
quantum computing
quantum sensing
air traffic management
atm
cybersecurity
cryptography
post-quantum cryptography
navigation
pnt
artificial intelligence
ai
machine learning
ml
optimization
climate modeling
drones
uas
research
innovation
transportation
aviation
digital sky
european communication networks
Investigate quantum sensing and computing applied to ATM
Grants8