Fuerteventura aviation forum closes with focus on drones for emergencies and nature protection
More than 150 people from the aviation sector gathered in Fuerteventura, where minister Manuel Miranda set out how drones could help public services.
Drones could help protect natural areas, manage land and improve emergency responses in the Canary Islands, regional minister Manuel Miranda said. He was speaking at the close of Aerial Cities 2026 in Fuerteventura on Thursday, 5 November.
The forum brought together more than 150 people from the aviation sector from across the world. Miranda is the Canary Islands’ minister for Territorial Policy, Territorial Cohesion and Water. He said unmanned aircraft already have practical uses. These include checking infrastructure and helping to plan how land is used.
The challenge for the islands, he said, is to match these advances with the needs of public services. This would require planning, investment and joint work.
Fuerteventura’s Stratoport development
Miranda pointed to Canarias Stratoport, developed through the Parque Tecnológico de Fuerteventura. He said it showed the island’s role in testing unmanned aircraft and technology for use at high altitudes.
He highlighted more than €50 million in regional and island investment, along with extra facilities such as the ISSEC building. Figures presented at the forum included more than 600 flight hours involving ten operators. They also covered long-duration flights and operations at altitudes above 25 kilometres.
Miranda said these milestones showed the facilities’ potential to raise Fuerteventura’s global profile as a centre for new aviation technology.
Public uses and airspace challenges
The minister also highlighted projects under the Canarias GeoInnovation 2030 programme. These aim to improve how natural resources are managed, monitor protected areas, prevent forest fires and strengthen emergency response. More accurate, up-to-date information about the land could help public authorities spot risks early and make better decisions, he said.
Miranda argued that the sector could attract investment and skilled workers. It could also help the islands develop a wider range of economic activities. However, he stressed the need to bring unmanned aircraft safely into shared airspace. He also called for work on rules, closer links with conventional aviation and steps to build public acceptance.
At the close of the forum, he called for the contacts made and proposals put forward there to lead to practical joint projects.