PAGE CONTENTS
Objectives
The project supports the coordinated development of a unified European VHF Data Exchange System (VDES) ecosystem by identifying the technical, standardisation, regulatory, and business requirements needed for interoperable VDE-SAT and VDE-TER networks. It focuses on consolidating existing developments, identifying requirements, and aligning technical, regulatory and standardisation perspectives among stakeholders. The activity also targets contributions to international standardisation and regulatory work in bodies such as IALA, ITU, IMO, IEC and RTCM, taking into account interested third-parties’ inputs. It considers operational and organisational aspects that influence the deployment and use of interoperable VDES systems.
Challenges
A main challenge will be achieving alignment within the project among a diverse set of VDES stakeholders with different backgrounds, priorities and levels of system maturity. Coordinating perspectives across satellite and terrestrial domains, as well as across technical, regulatory and organisational viewpoints, requires careful consensus building. Ensuring that outcomes remain broadly applicable and acceptable to the wider community, is also an important consideration.
System Architecture
The project defines a conceptual reference architecture that describes how existing and future VDES elements can interoperate across European satellite and terrestrial infrastructures.
Plan
The project begins with analysing technical, regulatory, and business gaps, leading to a consolidated set of requirements. It then progresses to selecting and defining the European VDES reference architecture. Parallel phases address standardisation inputs, regulatory enablers, business modelling, and ecosystem coordination. The Mid-Term Review marks the completion of the requirements and architecture definition and the final phase refines contributions, prepares roadmaps and the development plan, and consolidates all documentation ahead of the Final Review.
Current Status
The project has kicked off on 24 November 2025. A first face-to-face workshop was held on the 11 December 2025 in Aalborg (Denmark), where all contractors together with ESA representatives met and initiated the collaborative technical work. Early coordination activities have started, and all interested parties worldwide are invited to contact the project in case they are interested in engaging in the activity.
Companies
