Navarre tests the integration of drones with manned aviation in a European demonstration

EUROCONTROL's U-ELCOME project, led in Spain by ENAIRE, has carried out one of its final demonstrations, this time organised by the Government of Navarre at the Pyrineum International Flight Centre in Lumbier, with the participation of the Public University of Navarre (UPNA), FUVEX, NAITEC, PYRINEUM, ITG, and ENAIRE.

The demonstration used ENAIRE and ITG digital platforms to control drone traffic

The Regional Minister of the Interior, Public Service and Justice of the Government of Navarre, Amparo López, was accompanied by Gonzalo Alonso, Head of ENAIRE’s Commercial and International Business Development Division; the Director General for the Interior, Salvador Díez; the Head of the Technical Division of the Navarre Police, José Antonio Larrasoaña; and the Head of the Gaming and Entertainment Division of the Navarre Police, Daniel Cano.

The Regional Minister of the Interior noted the "Government of Navarre’s efforts towards the future development of the region and its pioneering role in integrating automated drone operations into Spanish airspace, as well as the implementation of this technology in emergency response tasks such as rescues, firefighting, traffic management, locating missing persons, and inspecting critical infrastructure”.

Gonzalo Alonso, Head of ENAIRE’s Commercial and International Business Development Division, stated that “the emergency drill we carried out today in Navarre was very interesting, as it involved simultaneous light aircraft, helicopter and drone operations in a U-space environment”.

The U-ELCOME (U-space European COMmon dEpLoyment) project is a European initiative, technically managed by the SESAR Joint Undertaking, aimed at promoting the safe and efficient integration of drones into urban airspace through the deployment of U-space services. Coordinated by EUROCONTROL and involving 51 partners from across Europe, including ENAIRE, the project focuses on the development and demonstration of U-space services at 15 locations in Spain, Italy and France.

The demonstration focused on the safety benefits that U-space offers when applied to emergency operations involving drones and crewed aviation, as well as the accessibility U-space provides to authorities when they need to interact with drone operations at a specific location and time, such as during emergency management.

 The demonstration included the flight of four drones, a light aircraft and a helicopter, with airspace management carried out through the aforementioned systems. Authorised drone operations were revoked in response to a simulated emergency (a fire), with drones then used collaboratively to manage the emergency, with the exercise concluding in a safe environment for all the assets involved.

The U-ELCOME project, which will conclude at the end of this year, plays a key role in promoting the safe integration of drones through the implementation of U-space services. This initiative helps lay the groundwork for a future with more interconnected and sustainable cities.
For the past three years, all project partners have been working to develop and validate services for managing drone traffic in urban areas, thereby enabling operations and applications in cities that would otherwise not be feasible.

This project has received funding from the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) under grant agreement No 101079171.