European ATM Master Plan: Driving Collaboration for Efficient, Sustainable Airspace

Achieving environmentally friendly skies is no small feat, especially in the world of air traffic management, where safety and security are non-negotiable. Change in this domain is inevitably incremental, built upon partnerships that capitalise on today’s technological advancements while envisioning the possibilities of tomorrow. It’s about having a clear vision and creating scalable solutions that evolve with the challenges ahead.

For Europe, this means bringing to life the European ATM Master Plan vision. And Thales has been part of this journey from the very beginning. As market leader in ATM solutions, Thales not only pioneers innovation but embraces the responsibility that comes with it, as demonstrated by our proactive engagement and steadfast commitment to the Master Plan.

Commitment: Big Goals, Immediate Action

While sustainable aviation fuels and alternative power sources are important components of the solution, they’re still some way off. The real challenge is to take immediate action with the tools we have available today.

The European ATM Master Plan is clear: if we want to create more sustainable skies in the near future, it’s up to the ATM community to step up and deliver more immediate, practical solutions. The vision calls for a continent-wide digital transformation of air traffic management, leveraging automation and dynamic airspace use to enable more flights in the same airspace without compromising on safety or driving up costs. 

But to make that vision a reality, we need to move beyond the fragmented systems and siloed approaches that limit collaboration. We need a common goal: a more sustainable and efficient aviation industry.

That’s why, in 2024, leaders from the A6 Alliance of Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs), along with manufacturers like Thales, came together to sign a joint statement. The goal? To transition to a new, data-driven, and cloud-based service delivery model for air traffic management across Europe. This model will facilitate quicker, safer, and more secure deployment of the new features and improvements needed to bring the vision to life.

As Europe works toward its goal of a Digital European Sky, it is clear that innovation and collaboration will be at the heart of the transformation. The European ATM Master Plan is ambitious, aiming for a comprehensive overhaul of how air traffic is managed. 

One of the most pressing goals of the Master Plan is improving efficiency, particularly through the use of trajectory optimisation. As air traffic volumes are set to double by 2040, optimising flight paths becomes a crucial part of reducing both fuel consumption and emissions. However, achieving such a feat requires more than just upgrading the individual aircraft – it requires an entire system that can dynamically manage traffic flows, anticipate conflicts, and make real-time adjustments based on the available data.

Solutions: Building the Digital European Sky

Thales is playing a significant role in enabling these changes: it was the first to develop an open, safe and secure platform bringing service-oriented, cloud-native architecture to ATM. By enabling flexible integration of third-party solutions, OpenSky Platform allows for the development of modular, best-in-class solutions that can be tailored to meet the unique needs of different regions and ANSPs. This approach avoids the inefficiencies of siloed systems and enables the European ATM community to work toward a shared vision while preserving the sovereignty of individual nations.

The upgraded TopSky - ATC solution, built on Thales’ OpenSky Platform, is already demonstrating how cloud-based technologies can enhance the agility and efficiency of airspace management. By decoupling service and infrastructure layers, Thales ensures that air navigation services can be developed and scaled independently, meeting evolving demands like traffic surges, environmental targets, and new mobility solutions such as drones.

A crucial innovation is dynamic airspace management. Thales’ technology supports this flexibility, allowing airspace to be managed collaboratively in real-time. For example, smaller ANSPs may hand over their airspace to neighboring countries during off-peak hours, or regions might pool resources to better manage surges in traffic. This dynamic approach increases the overall efficiency of the airspace while meeting local needs and maintaining sovereignty.

Ensuring safety and security in this increasingly data-driven environment is essential. Thales’ expertise in cybersecurity is key to protecting sensitive information and ensuring that the system remains secure against emerging threats. As data sharing and interconnectivity grow, Thales’ solutions guarantee that the infrastructure remains robust and reliable.

Finally, automation plays a crucial role in supporting the growth of air traffic - human controllers alone will not be able to manage the complexity it will bring. Thales is helping to lead this shift with AI-powered tools that provide real-time insights and recommendations to controllers. These systems help reduce human error, improve decision-making, and enhance the overall efficiency of airspace management.

A Unified Vision for the Future

As the vision for a Digital European Sky comes into focus, the path forward is clear. The transformation of the European Air Traffic Management (ATM) system will be complex, but with the right technology, commitment, and collaboration, the ambitious goals of the EU ATM Master Plan are well within reach.

The EASA Design or Production Organisation (DPO) regulation is central to this transformation, as it creates a unified framework for approving organisations that design and manufacture Air Traffic Management/Air Navigation Services (ATM/ANS) equipment. This regulation promotes safety, interoperability, and efficiency across the European ATM network by harmonizing regulatory requirements with the strategic goals outlined in the ATM Master Plan. It enables a single EASA approval valid across the entire EU, simplifying certification processes, reducing implementation complexity, and fostering innovation by allowing approved organisations to make improvements without full re-certification.

Thales is actively working towards obtaining DPO approval, reinforcing its commitment to this unified vision. By achieving DPO certification, Thales will streamline the certification process for its solutions, ensuring they meet the highest standards of safety and interoperability set by the Master Plan.

Thales also firmly believes there is no alternative to a product-driven approach. Treating each capability as a standalone, certified product unlocks true interoperability through common standards and industrialises certification, slashing time and costs. Beyond technical gains, this model delivers clear economic benefits: shorter approval cycles, volume-driven cost reductions, and predictable upgrade paths. 

Standardisation is a two‑way street: industry must actively contribute specifications—and ANSPs must collectively converge on common requirements to bring them to life. A crucial innovation in this respect is dynamic airspace management: our technology enables collaborative, real‑time airspace allocation, so smaller ANSPs can hand over sectors during off‑peak hours, and regions can pool resources to manage traffic surges.

This isn’t just about connectivity, it’s about digital defragmentation. By unifying fragmented systems, we pave the way for a One EU Sky that respects each nation’s sovereignty while enabling seamless operations. We can learn from digital defragmentation successes in telecom (unified mobile standards), banking (shared payment rails), and aerospace manufacturing (common safety protocols). 

All of this calls for a dedicated platform and governance model, co‑owned by ANSPs, regulators, and industry players. Success won’t come from a top-down decree—it will spring from genuine, bottom‑up collaboration among every stakeholder.

Through close collaboration with industry leaders and alignment with the Master Plan’s core pillars, Thales is a key enabler of the Digital European Sky, deploying open, safe, and secure platforms that drive innovation and operational excellence. Together, these efforts pave the way for a brighter, more connected, and resilient European ATM ecosystem.