Indra, ENAIRE Validate Integration of Drone & Manned Flights in Europe

Indra and Spain’s air navigation service provider ENAIRE have validated the coordinated operation of drones and manned aircraft in European airspace following a series of technical and operational demonstrations at Málaga Airport.

The tests confirmed the interoperability between unmanned traffic management systems, known in Europe as U-space, and conventional air traffic management systems, enabling both types of aircraft to operate safely within the same airspace through a fully digital environment. Málaga Airport, managed by Aena, served as the live operational setting for the validation.

The demonstration was conducted under the European ENSURE project, which is funded by the European Commission through Horizon Europe grants and managed by the SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking. The project brings together 18 partners across Europe, including air navigation service providers, industry, research centres, and technology firms.

During the trials, Indra and ENAIRE tested an ATM–U-space interface developed by Indra that allows continuous information exchange between drone operations and conventional air traffic control. The system supports coordinated flight planning, real-time flight management, and dynamic airspace configuration to prevent interference between drones and crewed aircraft while maintaining established aviation safety standards.

The validation covered the full operational cycle, from flight planning to live operations, and required constant coordination between drone operators and airport air traffic controllers. Airport traffic retained operational priority throughout the exercises.

According to the project partners, the procedures and technical solutions demonstrated in Málaga are directly applicable to high-density and high-risk environments, including airports and urban areas near airports. Potential future applications include runway inspection, infrastructure maintenance, surveillance, emergency response, monitoring activities, and delivery services, all of which require reliable integration into controlled airspace.

ENAIRE’s role is central to the operational deployment of U-space in Spain, where it also acts as the designated single common information service provider. The company is deploying a nationwide U-space platform with Indra as the technology provider, aimed at supporting the regulated expansion of drone operations.

The validation comes amid rapid growth in drone use across Europe, driven by demand for inspection, maintenance, surveillance, and transport services. Effective U-space systems are considered essential to managing this increase while preserving safety in shared airspace.

Indra has recently expanded its unmanned traffic management portfolio through the acquisition of GuardianUTM, a platform previously operated by U.K.-based firm Altitude Angel.