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Spain

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Following the entry into force of the EU regulation, Spain is developing a new national regulatory framework to adapt to it and to define the parameters that remain under the responsibility of States.

Recently, the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda has published the Strategy for Safe, Sustainable and Connected Mobility, which will define the steps to follow in terms of mobility in Spain. This strategy positions drones as a key element to foster smart mobility solutions, driving the development and innovation of this ever-growing sector.

Further information at: https://esmovilidad.mitma.es/

Development of the regulatory framework

To pursue the further regulatory development of drones, Spain is currently adapting its regulations to the new EU framework. The future Spanish UAS regulation will develop issues such as UAS geographic zones or minimum age for drone pilots, to complement EU legislation.

Spain has an online application for registration as a UAS operator and to submit declarations and authorisation requests to operate in certain airspaces.

On another note, Spain's main provider of air navigation services, Enaire, has developed an application called "Enaire DRONES" that gathers all the information on airspace limitations for the use of drones. The areas with prohibitions or restrictions, as well as the conditions for possible coordination, can be consulted in this application. Further information at: https://drones.enaire.es/

U-space concept

The main Spanish drone entities are working on the deployment and implementation of U-space services. Spain has actively participated in the regulatory development of the U-space Regulation.

Additionally, several Spanish institutions and companies have participated in the European network of demonstrators through European projects such as DOMUS. Thanks to these trials, U-space services have been tested in different scenarios, and the results are expected to provide experience to achieve the safe and efficient integration of drones.

Finally, Spanish companies will also lead projects focused on issues such as the drones' communication needs, their requirements to operate at low altitude or the distance between them.

Urban Air Mobility (UAM)

Innovations in the sector are giving way to operations that have a great margin for development at present, such as the transport of goods, drone parcel delivery or, in the medium to long term, the transport of people by air taxi.

Spain is involved in projects such as AMU-LED or CORUS-XUAM, which aim to demonstrate the safe integration of drones in the airspace of our cities. These tests are performed with the objective of demonstrating the benefits of air mobility, such as eliminating road congestion or reducing travel times. Their results will contribute to the development and establishment of regulations on urban air mobility at European level.

Additionally, Spain has launched a project to develop the first infrastructure network for vertical take-off electric aircraft, which aims to establish over 20 VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) ports.

Infrastructure protection

In Madrid and Valencia, the Spanish law enforcement forces and agencies have a global anti-drone system that can locate and position drones as well as their pilots. Local authorities can thus ensure drones in the city are used in accordance with established regulations.

On another note, tests for the defence against airport drones were organised in Asturias to identify the most suitable C-UAS companies and systems for the defence of the airport environment.

Test centres

In Spain, most of the research efforts are condensed in public bodies such as the INTA (Spanish National Institute for Aerospace Technology), foundations such as FADA (Andalusian Foundation for Aerospace Development), technological centres and universities.

Centres specialised in drones are the basis for the development of new prototypes and solutions, as they enable experimental flights in airspaces without operational constraints.

There are currently three such centres in Spain: the Rozas Airborne Research Center (Galicia), the Air Traffic Laboratory for Advanced unmanned Systems (Andalusia) and the BCN Drone Center in Moià (Barcelona).

Finally, thanks to the Hera Drone Hub project, Zaragoza will be the first European city to authorise a testing and training space for drones in an urban environment to develop the air mobility of the future.

Publications on unmanned aircraft systems

ECAC News #73 UAS Bulletin 02/2021