ENAIRE presents its experience in integrating drones and U-space services at the 2nd Canary Islands Aerospace Congress

ENAIRE took part in the 2nd Canary Islands Aerospace Congress 2025, held yesterday and today at the Expo Meloneras Conference Centre in San Bartolomé de Tirajana, Gran Canaria. The forum brought together institutions, companies, universities, technology centres, and aerospace professionals to discuss innovation, technology, and the strategic development of the sector.

This congress, taking place today and tomorrow in Gran Canaria, brings together over 50 speakers and more than 30 companies from the aerospace sector

ENAIRE was actively involved in this edition, focusing particularly on emerging technologies related to drones, unmanned aerial mobility (UAS), and the deployment of U-space, the new European framework for the digital, safe, and automated management of unmanned aircraft traffic.

Raquel Moldes, from ENAIRE’s Drone Business Development Department, delivered a presentation on the future of U-space and also took part in the roundtable ‘Challenges and Capabilities of New Aerial Mobility’, organised by Ellas Vuelan Alto, alongside representatives from the Directorate General for Transport and Mobility of the Government of the Canary Islands, the SESAR unit of the Directorate General for Mobility of the European Commission, Pirineos Drone, and the General Secretariat for Innovation of the Government of Spain, under the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities.

During the congress, the present and future of drone use were also discussed, analysing the capabilities, technological challenges, and practical applications of UAS within shared airspace. Juan Jesús Cano, Head of ENAIRE’s Airspace Operational Coordination Department, took part in a roundtable with Pirineos Drones, Bluenest by Globalvia, and the Robotics Unit of the Technological and Renewable Energy Institute (ITER) of Tenerife, sharing the experience of different actors on drone interoperability and integration with manned aviation.

To conclude the first day, Francisco Tortosa, Head of ENAIRE’s HAO/STO Innovation Projects Unit, shared his experience in the roundtable ‘Vertiports, Aerodromes, and Space Tracking Launch Bases’, together with representatives from Bluenest by Globalvia, the Spanish Aerospace Platform (PAE), and the National Institute of Aerospace Technology (INTA).

ENAIRE’s participation in this congress is in addition to its recent involvement in other leading sector forums, where the organisation has shared its experience and progress in U-space. Advances in UAS and U-space systems, as well as the importance of technological solutions, innovation, and collaboration between government and industry, represent an opportunity to facilitate the integration of drones across a variety of operational environments.

[Raquel Moldes, from the Drone Business Development Department at ENAIRE].

ENAIRE, Sole Common Information Services Provider

ENAIRE, as the Sole Common Information Services Provider (CISP) and future U-space Service Provider (USSP) in Spain, is actively contributing to the development of the digital infrastructure needed to enable drone flights to be conducted safely, efficiently, and in accordance with European standards.

It is worth noting that in 2025, ENAIRE concluded its three-year leadership of U-ELCOME in Spain, one of the major European projects for validating U-space services. With 51 partners across Spain, France, and Italy, the project demonstrated how commercial drone operations can be safely and efficiently integrated into European airspace from 2026 onwards. More than 1,000 flights were carried out, 600 of which took place in Spain across eight autonomous communities. In September 2025, Fuerteventura hosted medical transport trials with the Canarias Stratoport for HAPS, the scenario for the final validation phase. The exercise simulated an emergency situation and the transport of medical supplies, involving collaboration between drones and a Government of the Canary Islands emergency helicopter.

Startical 

Meanwhile, Startical, a company created by ENAIRE and Indra that will position Spain as a global benchmark in satellite services for air navigation, presented its work through Juan Merino, Head of Space Programmes at Startical. He outlined efforts to deploy satellites providing coverage for air traffic over oceanic and remote areas.

Startical will be a pioneer in integrating ADS-B surveillance with VHF radio communication between air traffic control systems and aircraft via satellite, in line with aeronautical standards. The company has launched two satellites to validate the technology in orbit. These advances will enhance the safety, efficiency, and sustainability of global air traffic, facilitate the creation of new routes, and contribute to reducing operational costs and CO2 emissions.

Additionally, Merino took part in the roundtable ‘Constellations in the Future of Observation and Telecommunications’, alongside the companies Open Cosmos, CanarySat, Hispasat, and Orbex.

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.