The evolution of U-space must anticipate the rise of multiple simultaneous operations (MSO) as a driver for scalable and economically viable drone services. Fleet operations, where multiple uncrewed aircraft are managed under a common fleet management system, are essential for logistics, surveillance and inspection. Swarm operations, with aircraft flying in tightly coordinated formations, are moving beyond entertainment towards applications such as public safety, search and rescue and emergency response.

Today, U-space is largely optimised for single-aircraft management, with separation provided by U-space service providers. Scaling this approach risks overloading service layers and constraining capacity. HIVE addresses this through a layered delegation framework, shifting selected separation and conformance functions to fleet or swarm management systems, supported by verifiable performance and safety requirements. By extending existing concepts of operations and developing new risk models and compliance frameworks, HIVE lays the groundwork for the safe, scalable integration of multiple simultaneous operations into U-space and the Digital European Sky.