European skies are preparing for a new phase in which drones and airplanes will share airspace in a coordinated manner. Indra and ENAIRE have completed a series of tests in Malaga demonstrating that this coexistence is possible without jeopardizing safety or the daily operations of airports.
The validation carried out at Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport , managed by Aena, has demonstrated how unmanned aircraft traffic management systems (U-space) can interoperate with conventional air traffic control (ATM). Thanks to this technical and operational demonstration, the door is now open for drones to gradually become part of the standard operating environment in Spain and the rest of Europe.
A key demonstration in Malaga for European airspace
During trials conducted in Málaga, the interoperability between U-space and ATM was validated under real-world conditions at a commercial airport with manned traffic. The objective was to demonstrate that drone flights can be planned, authorized, and monitored in real time without interfering with conventional aviation and while adhering to the highest safety standards.
The demonstration was part of the European ENSURE project , funded by the European Commission through Horizon Europe and coordinated by the SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking. Within this framework, procedures, technologies, and coordination methods designed for highly complex scenarios , such as airport environments or urban areas adjacent to airports, have been tested.
The operations carried out covered the entire flight cycle: from pre- operation planning to real-time management from the control tower. This required constant coordination between the participating drone operators and the ENAIRE air traffic controllers, who maintained absolute priority for manned traffic while simultaneously monitoring the unmanned flights.
The ENSURE project, led by Indra, brings together 18 leading European partners , including air navigation service providers, research centers, technology companies, and various stakeholders specializing in air mobility. ENAIRE participates as an air navigation service provider and as the sole provider of common information services in Spain, a key component for the operational launch of U-space in the country.
From an institutional and regulatory perspective, the Malaga validation has a strategic character, because it brings Spain closer to the real deployment of the European Digital Sky , where drones, helicopters, commercial aircraft and other unmanned systems will share information and space under a common management framework.
ATM-U-space interface: how manned and unmanned traffic is coordinated
The technological core of the demonstration was the ATM-U-space interface developed by Indra . This system acts as a bridge between the drone management environment and the conventional air traffic control system, enabling continuous data exchange in both directions.
Thanks to this interface, controllers can view the position, flight plan, and progress of drone operations on their systems, making it easier to dynamically adjust airspace based on real-time needs. This allows for the establishment of restricted areas or specific corridors for unmanned flights without obstructing manned aircraft traffic.
Tests have shown that, with this technology, it is feasible to integrate individual drone operations in areas of higher operational risk , such as proximity to runways, approaches or critical areas of the airport, maintaining separation and minimizing the possibilities of conflict between airspace users.
The systems also incorporate alert and monitoring mechanisms, so that if a drone were to approach a manned aircraft or an unauthorized area too closely, an immediate alert would be sent to controllers, who could then reconfigure routes or deny access to a specific zone. The goal is for coordination to be virtually instantaneous, avoiding slow or manual processes that could be critical in emergency situations.
Currently, many high-risk drone flights require applications submitted weeks in advance and telephone coordination with air traffic control. With the ENSURE solution and the ATM-U-space interface, controllers will be able to track these flights in real time, authorize route changes, and manage any incidents with a complete overview of what is happening in the airspace.
Two technological solutions for the same challenge
Within the ENSURE project, two R&D solutions aimed at facilitating the safe coexistence of drones and airplanes at airports and their surrounding areas have been tested . Both have successfully passed the tests carried out in Malaga.
The first solution focuses on using drones to inspect runways and critical areas of the airport . In this case, a temporary and localized airspace restriction is established only on the runway where the drone is operating, without affecting manned traffic using other runways or approach routes. This allows for more frequent and faster maintenance and inspection tasks with less disruption to operations.
The second solution is based on the dynamic management of restricted airspace . In other words, the system defines and adapts specific areas in real time where drones can operate, integrating them into the overall view of air traffic controllers. This way, unmanned traffic is incorporated into the general management scheme without being excluded from conventional control.
Both solutions allow the control tower to have a precise picture of what is happening at any given moment, preventing the appearance of unidentified objects on radar, which complicate management because their flight plan, takeoff and landing times, or operational intentions are unknown. With ENSURE, all that traffic is tracked, authorized, and protected within a regulated framework.
For air traffic controllers, this monitoring and control capability represents a significant change: they will be able to authorize flight zones for drones , propose or demand route changes, or prohibit passage through certain areas when deemed necessary, always maintaining the priority of commercial traffic and ensuring that safety remains the fundamental pillar.
New drone operations: from inspection to emergencies
The orderly integration of drones into airspace opens the door to a multitude of practical applications with a direct impact on daily life. Among the most notable are infrastructure inspections (power lines, railways, roads, and bridges), surveillance of critical facilities, environmental monitoring, and emergency management.
In the field of emergencies, this technology will allow, for example, the transport of organs for transplant by drones from the site of an accident to a hospital or between healthcare facilities, reducing travel times and operating in airspace controlled by the airport authority. Coordination with medical helicopters for the transfer of patients between hospitals or to hard-to-reach areas is also envisioned.
Another field with great potential is delivery and logistics services , both in urban and rural areas. The ability for drones to share real-time information with the ATM system and other airspace users will allow for the design of safer and more efficient routes, reducing delivery times and minimizing risks.
In the airport environment, the incorporation of drones for maintenance tasks, runway inspection and beacon checks can help reduce downtime and optimize operations planning, without increasing the risk to manned traffic or ground personnel.
All of this requires a framework in which operations are managed digitally, traceably and automatically, something that ENSURE helps to promote by demonstrating that it is possible to coordinate drones and airplanes in the same airspace in a robust and reliable manner.
The role of ENAIRE and Indra in the development of U-space in Spain
In Spain, ENAIRE is deploying one of the most advanced unmanned aerial traffic management (U-space) platforms , with Indra as the main technology provider. This infrastructure will form the basis for services for drone operators and will allow operations to be fully integrated into the national air navigation ecosystem.
As an air navigation service provider and the sole provider of common information services, ENAIRE is responsible for coordinating the operational implementation of U-space and ensuring that relevant information (flight plans, restrictions, authorizations, traffic data) is available in a homogeneous manner to all stakeholders.
For its part, Indra brings its decades of experience in air traffic management (ATM) systems , with more than 11.000 equipped installations worldwide and a portfolio of next-generation solutions capable of managing a flight from start to finish, from takeoff to arrival at the destination.
The ENSURE project has further strengthened collaboration between the two entities, which were already working on modernizing airspace management and transitioning to a more digitized and automated model. The validation in Málaga reinforces their role as leaders in the field of advanced air mobility in Europe.
The expectation is that the capabilities demonstrated in this project can be transferred to real operations within a horizon of one to two years , once the regulatory phases are completed and the operational procedures necessary for its daily use are consolidated.
Technological leadership and consolidation of the European U-space
The progress achieved in Malaga comes at a time of strong growth in drone use across Europe , driven by demand for surveillance, maintenance, inspection, and transport services in a wide range of sectors. This expansion makes it essential to have unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) management systems that guarantee the safety and efficiency of these operations.
In this context, Indra Group has strengthened its position in the international market with the acquisition of GuardianUTM , the unmanned traffic management platform from the British company Altitude Angel. This acquisition expands its portfolio with specific solutions for U-space that complement its traditional ATM systems.
The combination of Indra's experience in the field of conventional air traffic, ENAIRE's capacity as an air navigation service provider, and the technology from GuardianUTM puts Spain in a leading position to spearhead the operational deployment of U-space within the European regulatory framework.
In addition to promoting safety and efficiency, this new sector is destined to generate new services, skilled employment and technological knowledge in the country, boosting innovation both in the aeronautical industry and in areas such as logistics, security, civil protection or environmental management.
The validation of ENSURE in an environment as demanding as Malaga-Costa del Sol Airport demonstrates that the integration of drones and airplanes is no longer a future concept but a tangible reality, on which stable business models and operational frameworks can now be built.
Everything tested in Malaga points to a scenario in which drones and manned aircraft will share the sky in a coordinated manner, supported by advanced digital systems, real-time data exchange interfaces and common procedures; a key step for Spain and Europe to consolidate an airspace in which technological innovation and operational safety go hand in hand and allow the full potential of unmanned aerial mobility to be realized.
