Innovative air mobility and services for sustainable and smart urban, peri-urban transport – Societal Readiness pilot

The Horizon Europe grant opportunity HORIZON-CL5-2025-04-D6-11 aims to advance sustainable urban and peri-urban air mobility through societal readiness pilots. This initiative, falling under Cluster 5, encourages collaborative research and development projects to enhance air mobility solutions in urban environments. It targets eligible applicants including research institutions, universities, SMEs, public-private partnerships, and cities that focus on innovative urban logistics, fostering a sustainable and accepted urban air mobility ecosystem.

The primary funding mechanism is a lump sum grant allocated under the HORIZON-AG-LS model. Projects must form a consortium with at least three independent entities from different EU member states or associated countries, reflecting a strong emphasis on collaboration. Geographic eligibility encompasses EU member states and associated countries, with some provisions for non-EU entities based on specific circumstances.

The program specifically concentrates on sectors related to transport, urban logistics, and climate action, pushing for innovative solutions such as drones and eVTOL aircraft in smart city planning. The intended project outcomes include the development of tools for urban mobility planning, integrating new air mobility solutions, and addressing societal concerns through public engagement.

Funding amounts for the grant are not explicitly defined but typically range from €1 million to €5 million based on similar previous initiatives. The application process is a single-stage call with a deadline set for September 4, 2025. It's noted that the success rates for similar projects within Horizon Europe vary between 10% to 39%.

No co-funding is needed as the lump sum grants cover eligible costs entirely. The successful proposals are expected to build upon previous research projects, enhance multimodal transport systems, and ultimately aid in achieving the EU's goals for climate-neutral and smart cities. Through this initiative, the EU aims to promote real-world testing of air mobility technologies while ensuring safety, sustainability, and regulatory compliance.

This EU funding opportunity focuses on innovative air mobility and services for sustainable and smart urban and peri-urban transport, specifically as a Societal Readiness pilot. The program falls under Horizon Europe (HORIZON), specifically Call Cluster 5 Call 04-2025 (WP 2025). The type of action is HORIZON-RIA (Research and Innovation Actions), utilizing a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS] model. The submission process is currently open with a single-stage deadline. The opening date for submissions was May 6, 2025, and the deadline for submission is September 4, 2025, at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The expected outcomes of funded projects include:

Enabling very low-level unmanned aviation, specifically Innovative Air Mobility (IAM) and services, for sustainable and smart urban mobility in cities, by developing and refining tools for urban planning, outreach, and system forecasting in line with the Drone Strategy 2.0.
Climate-neutral, smart, resilient, and safe IAM, accepted by local communities.
Institutional capacities to enable IAM are built up.
New tools and services for optimising IAM in cities and other areas, as well as workable governance arrangements for a multimodal transport network.
Evidence-based guidelines and recommendations, co-designed with and provided to cities, on how to develop a sustainable urban air mobility eco-system (e.g. planning and development processes for local authorities, integration of IAM in Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans, etc.).
Advanced understanding and quantification of the value of IAM, its benefits and use cases, particularly in the urban logistics sector.
Enhanced multimodality, urban logistics planning/flow and communication between stakeholders, which can be replicated by other cities to enable IAM.
Creation of jobs and economic growth by implementation of urban air mobility services in the long-term.
Responsiveness to a deeper understanding of the needs and concerns of diverse social groups involved in or potentially affected by the R&I development, thereby increasing the potential for beneficial societal uptake, and building trust in results and outcomes.

The scope of the proposals should focus on developing conditions and guidelines for a sustainable, smart, safe, and resilient ecosystem for urban air mobility and services, with a specific focus on the urban logistics sector. This sector is chosen because drones are more easily demonstrated and accepted for logistics compared to passenger mobility.

Proposals must address at least seven of the following points:

Prepare a roadmap to define the needs for new or upgraded infrastructures and logistics, to facilitate innovation in IAM technologies and operations.
Collaborate with city authorities to develop guidelines for integrating and co-designing drone infrastructure, such as vertiports, landing areas, and charging stations, into Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans, ensuring environmental, safety, security, and privacy considerations.
Assess the effects of IAM traffic, including electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) downwash/outwash on urban microclimate, as well as the requirements for a vertiport area, to enable safe IAM operations (including take-off and landing), for different VTOL aircraft and rotor configurations.
Building on EASA’s work and other studies on drone noise, assess and define the noise monitoring needs and tools that cities will have to implement, in areas where drone and IAM infrastructures and operations are planned, to ensure compliance with noise limits.
Analyse and make a proposal on how IAM could be integrated in the existing freight transport flows in cities, to boost multimodality.
Perform demonstration activities on IAM for cargo delivery (e.g. medical supplies), with data collection and flight monitoring between different landing/take-off areas/vertiports, while ensuring safety of operations in densely populated areas.
Evaluate and quantify the impact and potential benefits of cargo delivery by drones and eVTOLs on city congestion, noise, pollution, as well as on current and future airspace capacity to accommodate large scale operations.
Develop viable business models for sustainable IAM services for logistics operators, identifying key use cases where the benefits are the highest.
Collaborate with city authorities to align IAM services with citizen needs, developing strategies to raise public awareness and secure buy-in for drone integration. Identify attractive benefits and incentives for early adopters to accelerate market uptake of IAM operations and services.
Report on lessons learnt and recommendations to be shared with other cities for replication, and develop training / competence building packages for the relevant stakeholders (e.g., cities authorities involved in the design of a sustainable IAM ecosystem).
Analysis of potential rebound effects and arising questions of (energy) sufficiency with regard to extensive use and large-scale operations of IAM.

Projects must involve city authorities (multi-level governance) and logistics operators, to ensure user needs are duly considered. Projects should build on previously funded Horizon 2020 projects such as AiRMOUR. The action aims to exploit synergies with the EU Mission on Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities and with the SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking, while the alignment with the activities of EASA is highly recommended.

This topic is a Societal-Readiness pilot, requiring an interdisciplinary approach to deepen consideration and responsiveness of research and innovation activities to societal needs and concerns. Effective contribution of relevant SSH expertise, including the involvement of SSH experts in the consortium, is required to meaningfully support Societal Readiness.

General conditions for admissibility, eligible countries, financial and operational capacity, evaluation and award, and legal and financial setup are detailed in the annexes of the Horizon Europe Work Programme and related guidance documents. Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum.

Application forms, evaluation forms, model grant agreements, and additional documents such as work programmes, programme guides, financial regulations, and online manuals are available on the Funding and Tenders Portal.

The budget overview for various topics under this call includes:

HORIZON-CL5-2025-04-D5-01 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions: 20,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL5-2025-04-D5-02 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions: 10,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 1
HORIZON-CL5-2025-04-D5-03 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions: 5,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 1
HORIZON-CL5-2025-04-D5-04 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions: 7,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 1
HORIZON-CL5-2025-04-D5-05 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions: 12,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL5-2025-04-D5-06 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions: 5,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 1
HORIZON-CL5-2025-04-D5-07 - HORIZON-CSA HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions: 2,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 1
HORIZON-CL5-2025-04-D5-08 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions: 15,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 1
HORIZON-CL5-2025-04-D5-10 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions: 22,500,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL5-2025-04-D5-11 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions: 15,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL5-2025-04-D5-12 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions: 4,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 1
HORIZON-CL5-2025-04-D5-13 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions: 4,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 1
HORIZON-CL5-2025-04-D5-14 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions: 5,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 1
HORIZON-CL5-2025-04-D5-15 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions: 7,500,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 1
HORIZON-CL5-2025-04-D5-16 - HORIZON-CSA HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions: 2,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 1
HORIZON-CL5-2025-04-D5-18 - HORIZON-CSA HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions: 1,600,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 1
HORIZON-CL5-2025-04-D5-19 - HORIZON-CSA HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions: 2,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 1
HORIZON-CL5-2025-04-D6-01 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions: 12,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL5-2025-04-D6-02 - HORIZON-CSA HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions: 4,500,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 1
HORIZON-CL5-2025-04-D6-11 - HORIZON-RIA HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions: 10,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL5-2025-04-D6-12 - HORIZON-IA HORIZON Innovation Actions: 8,000,000 EUR, indicative number of grants: 2

This funding opportunity aims to foster the development of a sustainable and publicly accepted urban air mobility ecosystem, particularly for logistics, by addressing key challenges such as infrastructure, safety, environmental impact, and societal integration. It encourages collaboration between cities, logistics operators, and researchers to create practical guidelines, business models, and public awareness strategies for the successful implementation of drone and eVTOL technologies in urban environments. The program seeks to align with broader EU missions and initiatives, promoting climate-neutral and smart cities through innovative air transport solutions.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but based on the context, they likely include: cities authorities (multi-level governance), logistics operators, research organizations, universities, SMEs, and other relevant stakeholders in the urban air mobility ecosystem. The call emphasizes the involvement of cities authorities and logistics operators, suggesting that these are key eligible applicants or partners within a consortium. The call also mentions the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), and alignment with its activities is highly recommended.

Funding Type: The primary funding mechanism is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant, under the Horizon Europe Programme. The types of actions include HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA) and HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) and HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA).

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity requires a consortium, as it explicitly states: "Projects must involve cities authorities (multi-level governance) and logistics operators" and "This topic requires effective contribution of the relevant SSH expertise, including the involvement of SSH experts in the consortium, to meaningfully support Societal Readiness." This indicates that multiple applicants are needed to form a consortium.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is primarily focused on EU member states and associated countries participating in the Horizon Europe program. The documentation mentions "non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding" but indicates that some of these countries have specific provisions for funding their participants in Horizon Europe projects. Therefore, eligibility extends beyond the EU, but with potential restrictions.

Target Sector: The program targets the following sectors: urban air mobility, innovative air mobility (IAM), urban logistics, sustainable urban mobility, climate, energy, mobility, transport, aviation, drones, electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, and urban planning. It also touches on societal readiness, requiring Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) expertise.

Mentioned Countries: While specific countries are not explicitly listed, the opportunity is within the Horizon Europe framework, implying that EU member states and associated countries are the primary geographic focus. The reference to "non-EU/non-Associated Countries" suggests that other countries may be involved under specific conditions.

Project Stage: The project stage varies depending on the specific action type (RIA, IA, CSA). However, the overall focus is on development, validation, demonstration, and societal readiness. The call aims to develop conditions and guidelines, integrate drone infrastructure, assess impacts, perform demonstrations, develop business models, and report on lessons learned, suggesting a move from research to practical implementation and societal integration.

Funding Amount: The funding amount varies depending on the specific topic within the call, ranging from €1.6 million to €22.5 million. The indicative number of grants per topic also varies, typically between 1 and 2.

Application Type: The application type is an open call, with a single-stage submission process.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a lump sum grant.

Application Stages: The application process is single-stage.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly stated, but the indicative number of grants per topic suggests that the competition is likely to be high.

Co-funding Requirement: The co-funding requirement is not explicitly stated, but as a Horizon Europe action, it is likely that a certain level of co-funding may be required, depending on the specific rules of the call and the type of organization applying.

Summary:

This Horizon Europe Cluster 5 call focuses on "Innovative air mobility and services for sustainable and smart urban, peri-urban transport," specifically addressing the societal readiness of urban air mobility (UAM) with drones and eVTOLs in the urban logistics sector. The call aims to develop guidelines, tools, and infrastructure for integrating UAM into cities, ensuring safety, sustainability, and public acceptance. Projects should involve city authorities and logistics operators, building on previous initiatives like AiRMOUR. The call encourages synergies with the EU Mission on Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities and the SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking. Funding is provided as lump sum grants, with varying budgets and a single-stage application process. The call targets a wide range of stakeholders, including cities, logistics companies, research organizations, and SMEs, to foster a sustainable and smart UAM ecosystem. The call includes various topics with budgets ranging from 1.6 million EUR to 22.5 million EUR. The call is a single-stage process with a deadline of September 4, 2025.