Drones for Delivering Medicines and Emergency Aid
The European project U‑ELCOME, coordinated by EUROCONTROL and led by ENAIRE in Spain, has concluded its final validation campaign in Fuerteventura with a practical demonstration of U‑Space technology, aimed at the automated management of drone operations in airspace.
Project Overview
The test took place at the Canarias Stratoport for HAPS & UAS, a public facility of the Fuerteventura Technology Park that specializes in testing and operating unmanned aerial platforms such as drones (UAS) and high‑altitude pseudo‑satellites (HAPS), according to an ENAIRE press release.
Demonstration Details
The exercise simulated emergency scenarios that required aerial reconnaissance and the transport of medical supplies.
- UAS flights were carried out by the joint venture Telespazio Ibérica – Pegasus, which detected an incident and activated an emergency protocol.
- A helicopter of the Canary Islands Government Emergency and Rescue Service then took off from Fuerteventura Airport to provide assistance.
- In a second phase, the delivery of medicines from the General Hospital was simulated using UAS, which transported the cargo to the incident site.
The operation was coordinated through U‑Space services, managed by ENAIRE and ITG on this occasion, allowing safe integration between the drones and conventional air traffic within controlled airspace.
The U‑Space Framework
Within the European Digital Sky initiative, the EU has developed the concept of U‑Space as a suite of digital services and specific procedures designed to enable safe, efficient, and automated drone use, especially in high‑traffic zones or near airports.
In this context, ENAIRE has been designated the Single Provider of Common Information Services (CISP) in Spain, acting as a “bridge” between traditional air navigation services and the new digital drone operators. Through its U‑Space platform, ENAIRE facilitates essential data exchange, ensuring smooth and safe coordination of the airspace where U‑Space applies.
Future Outlook
Rodrigo Benedit, technical staff of ENAIRE’s Drone Business Development Department and technical coordinator of the U‑ELCOME project in Spain, explained that the Fuerteventura demonstration marks the conclusion of the last validation campaign of the three‑year U‑ELCOME project, which spanned eight Spanish autonomous communities.
“Thanks to this project, in many of them — the autonomous communities — drone flights will continue to be carried out with the use cases shown here.”
Benedit also highlighted that the Fuerteventura Technology Park “is a national benchmark for unmanned aerial operations,” and together with other selected locations in Spain, “have been and will be crucial to validate the implementation of U‑Space in the country.”