The Digital European Sky is an EU initiative to modernize and digitalize Europe’s air traffic management (ATM) system. It aims to make European airspace more efficient, safer, more environmentally friendly, and better prepared for future air traffic demands, including drones and autonomous aircraft. The system will move away from outdated, fragmented infrastructure and embrace automation, secure data-sharing, and greater cross-border integration.
This transformation is part of the broader “Single European Sky” policy and is being implemented through the SESAR (Single European Sky ATM Research) program. The initiative began with a proposal from the SESAR Joint Undertaking and has strong backing from the European Commission.
Who Came Up With It?
The idea came from the SESAR Joint Undertaking, a public-private partnership co-funded by the European Union, Eurocontrol, and over 50 aviation stakeholders (airports, airspace users, manufacturers, air navigation service providers, and regulators). The European Commission coordinates the strategic direction.
What Is It Good For?
The Digital European Sky is intended to:
- Reduce flight delays and airspace congestion
- Cut CO2 emissions through more efficient routing
- Enable integration of new air vehicles (e.g., drones, air taxis)
- Improve resilience and scalability of air traffic systems
- Enhance cybersecurity and cross-border data exchange
- Create a smarter, more passenger-centric air transport system
What Does This Mean for Airports, and Especially for Towers?
Has the Digital European Sky Something to Do with Virtual / Remote Towers?
No! While remote or virtual towers are one of many innovations explored under the Digital European Sky, they are not a required or defining element.
An airport can fully participate in the Digital European Sky, using automation, digital tools, and cross-border data exchange, without installing a virtual tower. Virtualization in this context means decoupling air traffic services from local infrastructure, not replacing every tower with screens. Virtual/Remote towers are only one optional solution within a much broader digital strategy.
Does It Mean All Airport Towers Must Be Virtual in the Future?
No. Nowhere in the official documentation is there any obligation or requirement that all airport towers become virtual.
Virtual or remote towers are being considered primarily for smaller, regional airports, where it can be more cost-efficient and flexible to manage traffic from a remote center. For a detailed look at how remote towers compare to traditional ones, see our comparison of remote vs traditional towers. These setups may include panoramic screens to recreate the view from a traditional control tower, but again, this is only one option among many.
Example:
- An airport might be controlled remotely from a virtual tower center located elsewhere, sharing infrastructure with other airports.
- A large airport like Frankfurt, Madrid, or Zurich already has advanced on-site infrastructure and handles complex, high-density traffic. It is extremely unlikely these major hubs would adopt remote or virtual tower solutions.
What About Panoramic Screens? Is This What Digital Means?
The GLCCA found a public statement in a local newspaper (here) from a minister saying that:
“Single European Sky und die Digital European Sky-Vorgaben werden auf Panoramaschirmen visualisiert.”
This is not accurate. Panoramic screens may be used in some remote tower implementations, but they are not a core feature or requirement of the Digital European Sky.
The “digital” part of the Digital European Sky refers to automation, data connectivity, virtualization of services, and smarter management of airspace, not just visualizing operations on screens.
This confusion likely stems from the visual nature of remote towers, but the Digital European Sky is a much broader transformation involving networks, software, interoperability, and operational innovation across all types of airspace.
Is the Digital European Sky Mandatory?
No, the Digital European Sky is not mandatory in the sense of a strict legal obligation for every airport or country to implement all aspects. However, participation is strongly encouraged and strategically driven by the European Commission, especially for EU member states, as part of the broader effort to modernize Europe’s air traffic system.
It is a strategic initiative, not a rigid set of requirements. Airports are not required to adopt specific technologies such as virtual towers, panoramic screens, or remote management centers. Instead, they can participate in different ways, depending on their size, role, and existing infrastructure.
There is flexibility in how digitalization is implemented, the initiative is scalable and adaptable, allowing each stakeholder to adopt solutions that fit their operational context. While some elements may eventually be incorporated into EU regulations, the overarching approach is one of collaboration and gradual alignment, not top-down mandates.
Conclusion
The Digital European Sky is about smarter, greener, and more connected air traffic management, not removing physical control towers from major airports. Virtual towers are one possible innovation for specific cases, typically at smaller airports, and not a universal requirement. Digitalization means integrated, automated, and secure systems—not simply putting a control room on screens.