• Flight coordination requests up nearly 8% in the first quarter of 2026
• The increase points to a shift in trend, with sustained growth above the 2,000-operation mark
ENAIRE recorded a total of 2,017 coordination requests for unmanned aircraft operations in Spain during the first quarter of 2026, an increase of 7.9% on the same period in 2025, when 1,870 operations were logged.
This moderate growth points to a shift in trend that confirms a path of sustained increase in drone activity in Spain, particularly in environments where coordination with the air navigation service provider is required to ensure operational safety.
From a regional standpoint, the data reveal an uneven picture across Spain's Autonomous Regions. Catalonia (531 operations) and Madrid (397) continue to lead in terms of activity, with increases of 8.1% and 7.0% respectively. The Basque Country also stands out, reaching 200 operations (+21.2%).
Elsewhere, some regions recorded particularly sharp growth in relative terms, such as Castilla-La Mancha (101 operations, up from 3 in 2025) and Castilla y León (25, up from 4), as drone activity progressively takes hold.
By contrast, other regions saw declines compared with the first quarter of the previous year—Andalusia (−6.7%), the Canary Islands (−25.2%) and the Valencian Community (−18.4%)—reflecting territorial variation in the uptake and development of drone use.
Taken together, the data confirm the advance of professional unmanned aircraft use in Spain and ENAIRE's role as a key provider in the safe coordination of these operations, contributing to the orderly development of the UAS ecosystem.
BREAKDOWN BY AUTONOMOUS REGION
|
Autonomous Region |
2025 |
2026 |
Change |
|
TOTAL SPAIN |
1870 |
2017 |
7,9% |
|
CATALONIA |
491 |
531 |
8,1% |
|
MADRID |
371 |
397 |
7,0% |
|
BASQUE COUNTRY |
165 |
200 |
21,2% |
|
ANDALUSIA |
195 |
182 |
-6,7% |
|
CANARY ISLANDS |
210 |
157 |
-25,2% |
|
VALENCIAN COMMUNITY |
147 |
120 |
-18,4% |
|
CASTILLA-LA MANCHA |
3 |
101 |
3266,7% |
|
BALERIC ISLANDS |
56 |
90 |
60,7% |
|
CANTABRIA |
61 |
68 |
11,5% |
|
NAVARRA |
60 |
68 |
13,3% |
|
ASTURIAS |
34 |
28 |
-17,6% |
|
CASTILLA Y LEON |
4 |
25 |
525,0% |
|
GALICIA |
30 |
15 |
-50,0% |
|
LA RIOJA |
15 |
15 |
0,0% |
|
ARAGON |
15 |
8 |
-46,7% |
|
MELILLA |
8 |
6 |
-25,0% |
|
MURCIA |
3 |
2 |
-33,3% |
|
EXTREMADURA |
2 |
1 |
-50,0% |
About ENAIRE
ENAIRE is the air navigation service provider in Spain.
As a company of the Ministry of Sustainable Transport and Mobility, it provides air traffic control services during the en route and approach phases of all flights to and from Spain and overflights. In addition, it manages communications, navigation and surveillance services from ENAIRE in the airspace and the entire AENA airport network in Spain and provides aerodrome air traffic control services in 21 airports, including the busiest.
ENAIRE is the fourth largest European air navigation service provider, and it is a member of international partnerships A6 Alliance, SESAR (Single European Sky ATM Research) Joint Undertaking, SESAR Deployment Manager, iTEC, CANSO (Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation) and collaborates closely with ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization).
ENAIRE has obtained the highest rating in the key performance indicator for air safety at European scale for six consecutive years, the last five with the maximum possible score of 100%. It has also been awarded the EFQM 600 Seal for its safe, efficient, innovative and sustainable management of air navigation services.