The U-ELCOME project joins two U-space airspaces for the first time in a medical transport operation using drones in Andalusia

The ATLAS ALPHA and ATLAS BRAVO centres have marked a new milestone as part of the European project U-ELCOME: the transport of medical supplies by drone between Beas de Segura and Villacarrillo, in the province of Jaén, connecting two different U-space airspaces.

The project aims to demonstrate how the use of unmanned aerial systems can help provide solutions for transporting medical supplies to remote or hard-to-reach areas, improving accessibility.

To this end, a live flight demonstration was conducted involving the coordinated participation of the 75-kg unmanned fixed-wing UAS TARSIS, two multirotor drones, three complete flight teams from the Spanish company AERTEC and the University of Seville, as well as medical transport personnel from the Fundación SSG, alongside CATEC, the Advanced Aerospace Technologies Centre; the company PildoLabs; and the platforms of ENAIRE and ITG, the Technology Institute of Galicia.

This is also the first time in Europe that an in-flight control handover operation has been carried out for a fixed-wing drone of this size between two stations separated by 23 km.

All the operations conducted during the demonstration were monitored in real time using the U-space service provision platforms (USSP) developed by ENAIRE and ITG. Additionally, ENAIRE acted as the sole Common Information Service Provider (CISP), thereby validating the safe integration of these technologies into European airspace.

What is U-space?

Within the framework of the European Digital Sky, the European Union has defined U-space as an ecosystem of digital services and specific procedures aimed at managing drone operations safely, efficiently, and in an automated manner, especially in areas with high flight volumes or near airports.

As part of this deployment, ENAIRE has been designated as the Sole Common Information Service Provider (CISP) in Spain. This role positions ENAIRE as the link between conventional air navigation service providers and new digital drone operators. Thanks to the U-space platform, the organisation takes on the responsibility of facilitating the exchange of key data, contributing to integrated and safe airspace management in areas designated as U-space.

The event was attended by Lorena Garrido Serrano, Deputy Minister for Universities, Research and Innovation of the Junta de Andalucía; Francisco Miralles Jiménez, Mayor of Villacarrillo; José Alberto Rodríguez Cano, Mayor of Beas de Segura; and representatives from the Spanish Aviation Safety Agency (AESA), the 061 Andalusia Emergency Health Service, Pegasus Aerogroup, and the organising companies CATEC-ATLAS, AERTEC, and ENAIRE.

“Today we have seen the opportunities presented by U-space systems in unmanned aircraft operations, as well as the possibility of transferring control of a drone between two U-space airspaces. This enables us to carry out longer flights by managing drone air traffic across different digital platforms”, said Rodrigo Benedit Pascual, technician in ENAIRE’s Drone Business Development Department and technical coordinator of the U-ELCOME project in Spain.

About the U-ELCOME Project

The U-ELCOME project (U-space European COMmon dEpLoyment) is a European initiative, technically managed by SESAR Joint Undertaking and funded by the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Agency, aimed at promoting the safe and efficient integration of drones into airspace through the deployment of U-space services. It is coordinated by EUROCONTROL and involves 51 partners across Europe, with U-space flight service demonstrations at 15 locations in Spain, Italy and France.

Spain, activities are taking place in eight autonomous communities: Andalusia, Aragon, Canary Islands, Catalonia, Valencian Community, Galicia, Madrid and Navarre. The project seeks to encourage the adoption of basic U1 and U2 services, facilitating the safe integration of drones into European airspace.