The number of drone operations managed by ENAIRE rose by 70% in 2022

In 2022, ENAIRE managed 10,325 flight requests, which was 70% more requests processed than in 2021. The number of operations with remotely piloted aircraft is estimated to have averaged 140 flights a day; about 50,000 flights a year. In 2021, the average was 76 flights a day.

ENAIRE manages drone flight requests to guarantee the operational safety of manned aircraft

In December 2022, ENAIRE processed 673 requests, just over 200 of which were made under operational agreements with law enforcement and emergency services due to their need to conduct urgent flights as part of their duties.

The planea.enaire.es website allows professional drone operators to submit their aeronautical safety study (EAS/AERO) to fly in airspace under the responsibility of control towers and centres so that their requests can later be processed by the Operations Management units and the controllers involved in the operation.

ENAIRE Planea is integrated with other tools from ENAIRE's aeronautical information service, such as ENAIRE Drones (drones.enaire.es) and Insignia (insignia.enaire.es), which has information on airspace classes, restricted areas, NOTAMs and other useful features for drone and general aviation pilots and airspace users, such as measuring and drawing tools, to let them check and plan their activities and flights.

About ENAIRE

ENAIRE is the air navigation service provider in Spain.

As a company of the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and the Urban Agenda, it provides en route control services for all flights and overflights from five control centres in Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Gran Canaria and Palma, as well as approach services to every airport in the country.

In addition, 45 control towers receive ENAIRE's communication, navigation and surveillance services, and 21 airports, including the country's busiest, rely on its aerodrome control services.

ENAIRE is Europe's fourth largest air traffic manager. Since 1 January 2022, it has chaired the A6 Alliance, a coalition of air navigation providers responsible for over 80% of European air traffic, and which is seeking to modernise the air traffic management system. It is also a member of other international alliances promoting the Single European sky, such as SESAR Joint Undertaking, SESAR Deployment Manager, iTEC, CANSO and ICAO.

ENAIRE, as the agency designated by the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda to implement the U-Space system in Spain will, through its digital platform, provide the Common Information Services (CIS), which are essential to facilitate U-space services to drones and Urban Air Mobility in cooperation with local air traffic services, so that all types of aircraft can fly safely in the same airspace.

ENAIRE has received the highest score in Europe on the aviation safety key performance indicator. It has also been awarded the EFQM 500 Seal for its safe, efficient, innovative and sustainable management of air navigation services.