With this report, CATEC obtains all the environmental permits that are necessary for the implementation of the centre, which is the only one designed for unmanned aerial vehicles testing in Spain
The Spanish State Secretariat for the Environment, a body under the aegis of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and the Environment, has given the environmental impact statement for the construction project of the ATLAS Experimental Flight Centre. This centre is driven by FADA-CATEC and it will be located in the Andalusian town of Villacarrillo (Jaén). In this report, the successful resolution details that the project will not make significant adverse impacts, and that FADA-CATEC will adopt different measures in the construction works and in the operation of the centre in order to prevent and minimise the possible potential impacts.
With this successful report, which was published in BOE (the Official State Gazette) last 23rd January, FADA-CATEC obtains the environmental permit that is necessary for the implementation of the centre. After obtaining the permit, a fast resolution of the environmental procedure is expected at a regional level (The Unified Environmental Authorisation). It will leave the way open for the start of the construction work. The execution period of the works is about 8 months, therefore its implementation is planned for the second semester of 2013.
The centre will be built on a plot size of 12 hectares in La Herrera (Jaén). It will provide the first facilities entirely designed for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and systems (UAS) testing in Spain. The main activities carried out in the centre will involve studies for improving the capacity of light and tactical UAVs (of up to 650kg) and for proving their effectiveness in the air. The project accounts for an investment of EUR 4.2 million, cofinanced by the ERDF Operational Programme in Andalusia for the period 2007-2013.
