PublicMay 26 – 28, 2026

Airspace World 2026

From 26 to 28 May 2026, Airspace World, the world’s leading exhibition and conference for air traffic management, will take place in Lisbon. The German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR) will once again be exhibiting in hall 1, stand H1-E20.

DLR at the Airspace World 2026
Credit:

DLR, NLR

Start
End
Location
Lisboa, Portugal

As leading air traffic management (ATM) research organisations, DLR and NLR provide Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs), airports, airlines and Civil Aviation Authorities (CAAs) with independent know-how, cutting-edge research and solutions. Both scientific organisations are committed to improving the resilience, efficiency and safety of the global aviation system while promoting sustainability and reducing operating costs.

DLR and NLR will be showcasing current research on the future of air traffic management at the Airspace World, with several interactive exhibits in hall 1 at stand #H1-E20.

Featured technologies and demonstrations

AI-Driven Automation and Flexibility for Air Traffic Control

European air traffic control is facing pressure from staff shortages, rising traffic demand, climate targets, and operational complexity. DLR will showcase research on AI-based, highly automated, and flexible air traffic management. Discover solutions including the Digital Interactive Radar Controller for single-controller operations, competency-based controller endorsements for greater flexibility, and automated apron control concepts to reduce ground emissions.

Virtual Tower

DLR is taking Remote Tower operations a step further with fully immersive, VR-based control environments that are accessible anytime and anywhere. Experience how location independent ATS, scalable operations and drastically reduced infrastructure costs can unlock new potential for regional and smaller airports. With minimal hardware, low bandwidth requirements and maximum flexibility, Virtual Tower redefines how air traffic services are delivered. Curious how this innovation can enhance efficiency, resilience and service availability across your operations? Come and see a live demonstration of the Virtual Tower.

Network Real-Time Mission Monitoring

DLR is presenting a newly developed Network Real-Time Mission Monitoring tool. It demonstrates how launches and re-entries can be integrated safely, efficiently, flexibly and scalably into the European ATM system. By combining real-time mission data, an improved situational awareness overview and dynamic airspace management, the solution helps to reduce unnecessary disruptions and strengthen incident management across the entire network.

SESAR Walking Tours

Join us on one of the guided SESAR Walking Tours, where you’ll be able to see and try first-hand some of our current research results and achievements. All tours start at the Europe For Aviation stand #H1-E10 – no registration required. For more information, see www.sesarju.eu/AirspaceWorldWalkingTours2026.

Tuesday 26 May

  • Tour 01 (9.30): Weather-aware ATM: anticipating conflicts before they happen (ATC TBO), Jürgen Teutsch
  • Tour 02 (10.00): Enabling the perfect descent – continuous idle-thrust descents in complex and dynamic ATM environments (DYN-MARS), Fethi Abdelmoula
  • Tour 02 (10.00): Closing the loop: integrated optimisation from departure to arrival (CICONIA), Philippe Masson
  • Tour 04 (14.15): Smarter training, smarter ways to stay current: evolving ATCO rostering practises (IFAV 3), Sebastian Schier-Morgenthal
  • Tour 04 (14.15): From simulation to reality: accelerating ATM innovation safely (VISORS), Gunnar Schwoch, Rolf Zon
  • Tour 05 (14.30): Misson-ready airspace – Demonstrating the dynamic use of shared airspace along the Dutch coast in proximity of Schiphol Airport (ENSURE), Jürgen Teutsch

Wednesday 27 May

  • Tour 06 (9.30): Digital capacity in action: smarter sector configuration at Schiphol (ISLAND), Jürgen Teutsch
  • Tour 11 (15.15): Flight-centric operations: putting the aircraft at the heart of decision-making (FCA), Mara Weber, Přemysl Volf, Eva Puntero
  • Tour 11 (15.15): Space in Sight – Integrating launch and re-entries into European ATM through real-time monitoring, situational awareness and dynamic management (ECHO 2), Lorenz Losensky, Sven Kaltenhäuser
  • Tour 11 (15.15): Skies without limits – integrating space, high-altitude, and high-speed operations into European ATM (ECHO 2), Alexander Seybold

Thursday 28 May

  • Tour 12 (9.45): Making AI safe to use: certifying the next generation of aviation systems (HUCAN), Sebastian Schier-Morgenthal
  • Tour 12 (9.45): AI foundations for ATM: building trusted digital assistants (JARVIS), Rolf Zon

Theatre Presentations

Title

Speakers

Theatre

Day and Time

From Concept to Clearance: Flight-Centric ATC Pre-Deployment Summary

Mara Weber (DLR) and Bernd Korn (DLR) and Dmytro Tereshchenko (UkSATSE)

Viasat Theatre

26 May, 11.30

The future of air traffic management: How ready are we for AI integration?

Claudia Bacco (Global Airspace Radar), Dirk Kuegler (DLR), Eduardo García (CANSO), Ivar Värk (Estonian Air Navigation Services), Marius Muenstermann (Rohde & Schwarz)

Frequentis Theatre

27 May, 13.00

About Airspace World

Airspace World is the premier global event bringing together leaders in manned and unmanned aviation to shape the future of ATM. The conference will feature discussions on topics such as innovation, sustainability, advanced air mobility and cybersecurity, with the aim of fostering collaboration and driving progress towards a safer and more efficient aviation ecosystem.

Contact

Michael Drews

Public Relations Officer
Institute of Flight Guidance
Management Services and AT-One
Lilienthalplatz 7, 38108 Braunschweig