How to fly drones in airspace controlled by ENAIRE

If you are an UAS (Unmanned Aircraft System) operator licensed by the National Aviation Safety Agency (AESA) and you want to fly your aircraft in controlled airspace where ENAIRE provides air traffic control services, you have to follow these steps:

1. Perform an Aeronautical Safety Study (ASS)/Operational Risk Assessment and Mitigation (ORAM) that analyses the risks for the type of operation (ConOps) you wish to conduct in controlled airspace. To this end, we provide you with the following templates, which have been developed jointly with AESA and the other ATSPs, so that you can customise the marked fields -in accordance with the type of operation you intend to carry out- and submit them together with your UAS operator registration certificate: ORAM Generic, ORAM A.

You can complete your EARO with this catalog of mitigation measures, including the corresponding measures according to your ConOps.

2. Go to ENAIRE Planea and submit your ASS/ORAM via the application form. ENAIRE's Safety Division will contact you through the application and you will initiate the coordination. Once this process is completed, we will provide you with evidence of the coordination with ENAIRE so that you can operate in controlled airspace under the conditions reflected in your ASS/ORAM.

IMPORTANT: Your operation category and drone class may require EASA authorisation.

3. Once you have everything you need to carry out your operation, go to ENAIRE Planea and consult the ENAIRE Drones map to check who to address your operation request to.

In the case of ENAIRE, use the form that you will find in the application, and the Airspace Operational Coordination Department (COOP) will indicate the conditions and requirements you must fulfil once the operation has been coordinated.

4. On the day that you fly your drone:

  • Review the NOTAMs in force and get your Pre-flight Information Bulletin (PIB).
  • Prepare the flight plan following this specific guide for RPAS operators.
  • Follow any instructions given by the air traffic controller on the radio as if you were just another airspace user.
  • And finally, close the flight plan with the ARO office. If the operation ends beyond the ARO office hours, close the flight plan the next day as soon as possible.

REMEMBER:

  • Be registered in Icaro XXI and have your online flight plan user activated. Keep in mind that it may take up to 7 days.
  • Remember to act in conformance with the instructions received from the COP.
  • Remember, drones are not toys, they are aircraft; fly safely!

Visit the AESA Drones website for more information.

IMPORTANT: When flying in airspace controlled by another air traffic provider, you must follow its procedures.