FlightAI · Project

AI Tool That Automates Drone Flight Safety Paperwork for Operators

transportPilotedTRL 6

Flying a commercial drone in Europe now requires a detailed safety risk assessment — think of it like a pilot filing a complex flight plan, except there's no autopilot for the paperwork. Right now, drone operators have to manually gather geographic data, check airspace rules, and fill out a document called SORA, which can take hours of expert work. FlightAI plugged an AI search engine into an existing web tool so it can semi-automatically find a safe, compliant flight route that matches your drone type, pilot licence, and destination. It's like GPS navigation but for regulatory compliance — instead of finding the fastest route, it finds the one that satisfies all the safety rules.

By the numbers

consortium partners including 3 SMEs

75%

industry ratio in consortium

EUR 100,000

EU contribution

countries involved (Switzerland, Italy)

January 2021

EASA common drone rules enforcement date

The business problem

What needed solving

Every commercial drone operator in Europe must now complete a SORA safety risk assessment before flying — a process that requires manually gathering geographic data, airspace rules, and regulatory constraints, taking significant expert time per mission. As drone operations scale, this paperwork bottleneck becomes a serious cost and efficiency problem, especially for SMEs running multiple daily missions across different territories.

The solution

What was built

The project delivered a completed AI integration (FlightAI Integration) into the existing SAMWISE web service. This integration uses AI search algorithms from the GOAL-Robots project to semi-autonomously generate EASA-compliant drone flight plans through an interactive interface, factoring in drone type, pilot licences, geographic data, and SORA requirements.

Audience

Who needs this

Commercial drone service companies (inspection, survey, mapping)Energy and telecom utilities using drones for infrastructure monitoringAgricultural drone operators for crop surveillance and sprayingDrone delivery service providers expanding in European marketsDrone flight training schools and consultancies advising on EASA compliance

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Drone Services & Aerial Surveying

SME

Target: Commercial drone operators providing inspection, mapping, or delivery services

If you are a drone service company spending hours on SORA safety assessments before every new flight mission — this project built an AI-powered assistant integrated into the SAMWISE web platform that semi-automatically generates compliant flight plans. Instead of manually cross-referencing airspace data, ground risk maps, and EASA regulations, the tool searches for a valid flight plan solution using AI, cutting preparation time significantly. The consortium of 4 partners (75% from industry) validated the tool with real users.

Infrastructure & Utilities

mid-size

Target: Energy or telecom companies using drones for infrastructure inspection

If you are a utility company deploying drones to inspect power lines, pipelines, or cell towers and struggling with EASA compliance for each mission — this project developed an AI assistant that handles the regulatory flight planning. It automatically factors in your drone specifications, pilot qualifications, and the geographic characteristics of the territory you need to fly over. The tool was built on top of EUSC's existing SAMWISE service, meaning it connects to real geographic information systems for accurate airspace assessment.

Agriculture & Precision Farming

SME

Target: Agricultural service providers using drones for crop monitoring or spraying

If you are an agricultural drone operator who needs to file SORA assessments for operations over farmland — this project created an AI-powered flight plan assistant that meets EASA requirements enforced since January 2021. The interactive interface lets you input start and arrival points, available drone type, and pilot licences, then the AI searches for a compliant flight plan solution. This is especially useful for operators running multiple missions across different territories with varying ground and airspace risk profiles.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

How much does this AI flight planning tool cost to use?

The project received EUR 100,000 in EU funding as a Coordination and Support Action. Pricing for the commercial service has not been published in the available project data. The tool was built as an integration into the existing SAMWISE web service operated by EUSC, so commercial terms would likely come through that platform.

Can this handle large-scale drone operations across multiple countries?

The system was designed to work with EASA regulations that apply across all EU member states, using geographic information systems (GIS) to assess territory and airspace characteristics. Based on available project data, the validation was conducted with selected users through the consortium's network across 2 countries (Switzerland and Italy). Scaling to pan-European operations would depend on GIS data coverage.

What is the intellectual property situation — can I license this technology?

The AI technology originates from the FET-OPEN GOAL-Robots project and was integrated into EUSC's SAMWISE platform. IP is likely shared between the 4 consortium partners including 3 SMEs. Contact the coordinator (Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Italy) for licensing terms.

Does this comply with current EASA drone regulations?

Yes, the tool was specifically designed to meet SORA (Specific Operations Risk Assessment) requirements endorsed by EASA. The common drone rules it addresses have been enforced since January 2021. The system generates flight plans that satisfy both SORA requirements and GIS-based airspace constraints.

How mature is this tool — is it ready to use today?

The project ran from September 2021 to May 2023 and produced a completed integration (FlightAI Integration deliverable). The consortium conducted systematic validation testing with selected users. Business case refinement and dissemination activities were part of the project scope, suggesting the tool is approaching commercial readiness.

How does this integrate with existing drone operations software?

FlightAI was built as an integration into the existing SAMWISE web service, which EUSC already operates for drone operators. It uses an interactive interface where operators input flight parameters (start/arrival points, drone type, pilot licences). The AI then works semi-autonomously within this interface to find compliant solutions.

Consortium

Who built it

This is a compact, industry-heavy consortium of 4 partners across Italy and Switzerland, with 3 out of 4 being SMEs (75% industry ratio). The coordinator is Italy's National Research Council (CNR), providing the research backbone, while the three industry partners bring direct market access to the drone sector. The small team size and high industry ratio signal a focused, commercialization-oriented project rather than a broad research effort. The EUR 100,000 budget as a Coordination and Support Action confirms this was about integrating and validating existing technology, not fundamental research — a good sign for near-term market readiness.

CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHECoordinator · IT
EUROUSC ITALIA SRLparticipant · IT
AI2LIFE SRLparticipant · IT

How to reach the team

Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Italy — use Google AI Search to find the project coordinator's direct contact

Order a report on this consortium See CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to the FlightAI team to discuss licensing or integration? SciTransfer can arrange a direct meeting with the coordinator and industry partners.

Order a report on this topic More in Transport & Mobility