Advanced UAS are used or proposed in many missions covering a wide range of applications, from security and surveillance, to search and rescue, mapping, fisheries, agriculture, fire fighting, environmental monitoring, etc.

Following the results of a recent workshop jointly organised by ESA and the European Defence Agency (EDA) on Unmanned Aerial systems (UAS) and Satellite Services, held at ESTEC on 27^th- 28^th May, the Integrated Applications Promotion (IAP) programme has released an open competitive invitation to tender (ITT) for a Feasibility Study for an Unmanned Aerial System Mission Supported by Integrated Space Systems.

The goals of this study are to determine the feasibility and overall planning for a UAS mission that will demonstrate the integration of UAS into non-segregated airspace using satellite communications and navigation for Command and Control, Sense and Avoid, and Air Traffic Control relay, and the added value of satellite communications for high data-rate payload links to such a mission. The investigation should look into the viability of such solutions and magnitude of related investment necessary, and will cover a number of pressing security-related issues on the application and implementation of such a system.

For further information please refer to the announcement of this ITT on the IAP website and on EMITS.