The Center for Advanced Aerospace Technologies (CATEC) is the only Spanish technology center that is part of the Center of Excellence in Unmanned Aviation of the Spanish Aviation Safety and Security Agency (AESA)

The Spanish Aviation Safety and Security Agency (AESA) has presented the “White Paper on R&D for Unmanned Aviation in Spain”, developed by the Advisory Council of the Center of Excellence in Unmanned Aviation, a body formed by experts from the University, Industry and Research.

The Center for Advanced Aerospace Technologies (CATEC) is the only Spanish technology center that is part of the Center of Excellence in Unmanned Aviation of the Spanish Aviation Safety and Security Agency (AESA), and for two years it has actively participated in the development of this white paper as a leading technology center in Spain in the development of technologies for civil drones, and for its experience and international positioning in this sector. This document was created with the aim of identifying the research, development and innovation challenges that allow Spain to lead one of the sectors with the most future in the current technological panorama.

CATEC has participated in the preparation of this white paper leading the conception of the chapter related to the field of technology and technological leap, focused on the development of new disruptive technologies that place the Spanish unmanned aerial vehicles sector at the international Forefront, which will allow the creation of an ecosystem that favours technology transfer to companies.

The main identified priorities related to R&D are:
– Precise navigation systems in urban environments or near infrastructures.
– Generation of technologies to increase operational safety (collision detection and avoidance, shock absorption capacity, automatic contingency management, etc.)
– Technologies that allow the development of long-distance operations (BVLOS, ‘Beyond Visual line of Sight’).
– Systems and tools that facilitate the homologation of hardware and software systems (HW and SW) for medium and high-risk operations.
– Strong communications for operations beyond the pilot’s visual range (BVLOS) and automated systems, including 5G and mobile phone networks.
– More efficient and with greater autonomy unmanned aircraft.

There are also several objectives that are set to improve the development of the drone sector in Spain, among others, to stimulate the creation of a coordinated network of technological SMEs with innovative capacity or to promote the use of Experimental Flight Centers for the development of new technologies, such as the ATLAS Center. A pioneering and unique facility in Europe, located in the province of Jaén, being the first specifically designed and created for use as a research and flight test center with unmanned aircraft systems.

AESA has coordinated this choral work, in which the University of Seville, Airbus or ENAIRE, among other entities, have also participated, and which has allowed the vision of both companies and universities and technology centers, such as CATEC.