ENAIRE and Aena promote a European air-taxi project with an air corridor between Málaga and Granada

ENAIRE is promoting the European “OperA” (Operate Anywhere) project to validate the flights of the future in controlled airspace, uncontrolled airspace and U-Space. This morning, in collaboration with Aena, a helicopter carried out four flights between Málaga–Costa del Sol Airport and Federico García Lorca Granada–Jaén Airport to test the procedures that would be followed by a piloted air taxi or autonomous cargo drones in different types of airspace.

The aim of this demonstration is to give the go-ahead to the operating model for these types of flights, which will be part of the airspace in the near future. The tests seek to verify that the routes designed by ENAIRE and the operating procedures allow these aircraft—whether piloted, remote or autonomous— to fly in controlled and uncontrolled airspace and coexist without interfering with the usual activity of airports and conventional aircraft, while at the same time guaranteeing the highest level of operational safety for all users of the air-traffic system.

The 'OperA' advanced air-mobility project, under agreement ID 101114694, part of the Horizon Europe programme and supported by the SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking, has total funding of approximately EUR 9.52 million and an EU contribution of around EUR 5.97 million.

This European research and innovation initiative in advanced air mobility seeks to validate new operations for piloted air taxis and unmanned cargo flights in controlled airspace, uncontrolled airspace and U-Space. 'OperA' represents a decisive step towards the safe and efficient integration of electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOLs) across all types of airspace, contributing to the creation of a more sustainable and connected digital European sky.

The consortium driving the 'OperA' project is led by the technology multinational Honeywell and includes Aena, ENAIRE, CRIDA, EUROCONTROL and manufacturers such as Pipistrel and Vertical Aerospace, among others.

With this initiative, ENAIRE reinforces its commitment to airspace innovation, the integration of new forms of mobility and the digital transformation of air traffic in Europe.