{"id":309,"date":"2025-06-19T12:15:11","date_gmt":"2025-06-19T12:15:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/smarts-sesar\/?post_type=tribe_events&p=309"},"modified":"2025-06-19T12:15:11","modified_gmt":"2025-06-19T12:15:11","slug":"crida-leads-successful-smarts-puzzle-validation-9-11-june-2025","status":"publish","type":"tribe_events","link":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/smarts-sesar\/event\/crida-leads-successful-smarts-puzzle-validation-9-11-june-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"CRIDA Leads Successful SMARTS\u2013PUZZLE Validation, 9\u201311 June 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"
Objectives & Methodology:<\/b><\/div>\n
From 9 to 11 June 2025, CRIDA conducted a three-day integrated validation of the SMARTS system and the PUZZLE decision-support prototype. In collaboration with NATS and ENAIRE FMPs and involving key technology partners (DLR, ENAC, and Lancaster University).<\/div>\n
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The exercise brought together cutting-edge technologies developed by European partners:<\/div>\n
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  • Traffic demand forecasting & flow clustering<\/b>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0DLR<\/i><\/li>\n
  • Basic airspace volume design<\/b>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0ENAC<\/i><\/li>\n
  • Sector topology modelling<\/b>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0ULAN<\/i><\/li>\n
  • Sector configuration optimisation<\/b> \u2013 ULAN<\/i><\/li>\n
  • Integrated HMI\/prototyping (PUZZLE)<\/b>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0CRIDA<\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
    These modules form a comprehensive decision-support chain designed to enable\u00a0dynamic, demand-aware sector configurations<\/b>\u00a0for FMP-led shift planning. The exercise supports SMARTS\u2019s mission to enhance airspace efficiency, sustainability, and controller experience.<\/div>\n
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    Aligned with the SMARTS validation plan, the exercise was designed to validate the\u00a0end-to-end integration<\/b>\u00a0of all system components and assess the\u00a0operational performance<\/b>\u00a0of the SMARTS and PUZZLE prototype in realistic scenarios.<\/div>\n
    Over three days, the team simulated\u00a0varied traffic flows and operational conditions<\/b>, testing the system\u2019s ability to propose\u00a0workload-balanced, flow-aware sector configurations<\/b>. Key parameters such as\u00a0underload and overload weights<\/b>\u00a0and\u00a0maximum open sectors<\/b>\u00a0were tuned to observe their impact on configuration outcomes.<\/div>\n
    The evaluation focused on performance metrics including\u00a0sector configuration changes<\/b>,\u00a0workload distribution<\/b>,\u00a0comparison between baseline and optimized setups<\/b>, and the\u00a0need for demand regulation<\/b>. Throughout the exercise,\u00a0FMPs provided detailed operational feedback<\/b>\u00a0on system usability, HMI visualisation, and decision-support logic\u2014essential input to guide future improvements.<\/div>\n
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    Key Findings:<\/b><\/div>\n
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    • SMARTS successfully produced coherent, scenario-adaptive sector configurations across modules.<\/li>\n
    • The PUZZLE HMI proved intuitive and effective, with valuable user suggestions identified for future enhancement.<\/li>\n
    • Optimisation algorithms demonstrated robust adaptability, effectively managing workload and complexity.<\/li>\n
    • Sector designs maintained strong alignment with traffic flows, supporting their operational feasibility.<\/li>\n
    • FMP feedback reinforced confidence in SMARTS\u2019s relevance and decision-support potential.<\/li>\n
    • The exercise also highlighted opportunities for future development, such as enhanced visualisation (3D\/maps), refined sector catalogue methods, cost\/HR metrics inclusion, and scenario-specific sector design enhancements.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
      Next steps<\/b><\/div>\n
      Following this successful validation led by CRIDA, the SMARTS project will continue progressing toward higher maturity levels. Immediate efforts will focus on collaborating closely with\u00a0EUROCONTROL<\/b>, which is currently leading a complementary validation exercise. That activity aims to further assess the concept’s operational applicability through fast-time simulations.<\/div>\n
      The two exercises will feed into the development of the\u00a0SMARTS TRL2 Validation Report (VALR)<\/b>, expected by\u00a0November 2025<\/b>. This report will consolidate technical findings, usability insights, and performance assessments to confirm the project’s readiness at TRL2.<\/div>\n
      Together, these exercises will not only finalise TRL2 validation but also\u00a0identify priority areas for further research and system evolution<\/b>\u00a0in the future research, ensuring that the system continues to evolve in line with real-world needs and operational feedback.<\/div>\n
      The project remains firmly on track to deliver a dynamic, user-driven decision-support solution for the future of airspace management.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
      <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Objectives & Methodology: From 9 to 11 June 2025, CRIDA conducted a three-day integrated validation of the SMARTS system and the PUZZLE decision-support prototype. In collaboration with NATS and ENAIRE […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1753,"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":{"_tribe_events_status":"","_tribe_events_status_reason":"","footnotes":""},"tags":[],"tribe_events_cat":[],"class_list":["post-309","tribe_events","type-tribe_events","status-publish","hentry","post-preview"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/smarts-sesar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tribe_events\/309","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/smarts-sesar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tribe_events"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/smarts-sesar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/tribe_events"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/smarts-sesar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1753"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/smarts-sesar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tribe_events\/309\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":318,"href":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/smarts-sesar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tribe_events\/309\/revisions\/318"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/smarts-sesar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=309"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/smarts-sesar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=309"},{"taxonomy":"tribe_events_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.lancs.ac.uk\/smarts-sesar\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tribe_events_cat?post=309"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}