ENSURE project milestone as Indra and ENAIRE demonstrate real-world integration of U-space with conventional air traffic control

ENSURE project milestone as Indra and ENAIRE demonstrate real-world integration of U-space with conventional air traffic control

(IN BRIEF) Indra and ENAIRE have successfully validated the interoperability between U-space drone management systems and conventional air traffic control at Málaga Airport, demonstrating that drones and manned aircraft can safely coexist within a fully digital airspace environment. The trials, conducted under the European ENSURE project, enable the future deployment of advanced drone operations such as infrastructure inspection, surveillance, and emergency services in complex areas like airports and urban zones. The validation also reinforces Indra’s leadership in unmanned traffic management, supported by its recent acquisition of GuardianUTM and its extensive global experience in air traffic management systems.

(PRESS RELEASE) MÁLAGA, 3-Feb-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — Indra, in collaboration with ENAIRE, has successfully completed a series of technical validations at Málaga Airport that mark a significant step forward in the safe integration of drones into European airspace alongside conventional manned aircraft. The trials demonstrated that digital unmanned traffic management systems (U-space) and traditional air traffic management (ATM) can operate together in a coordinated and secure manner, paving the way for the gradual introduction of more advanced drone operations in complex aviation environments.

The tests, conducted at the Aena-managed airport, confirmed that a fully digital framework can enable safe coexistence between unmanned and manned aircraft. This achievement is considered a key milestone for the future of air navigation, as it supports the controlled expansion of drone-based activities such as infrastructure inspection, surveillance, emergency response, monitoring, and delivery services. The results establish a solid foundation for the progressive and structured deployment of these applications within regulated airspace.

The solutions validated during the trials were developed within the ENSURE project, a European initiative funded by the European Commission under the Horizon Europe programme and managed by the SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking. The project involves 18 partners across Europe and is led by Indra, with ENAIRE playing a central role as Spain’s air navigation service provider and designated common information service provider for U-space.

During the demonstration, Indra presented the outcomes of operational validations carried out in Spain, including a specific test of its ATM–U-space interface. This system enables continuous information exchange between drone management platforms and conventional air traffic control, allowing dynamic airspace adjustments based on real-time operational needs. The mechanism ensures that drones and aircraft do not interfere with each other while maintaining the highest aviation safety standards.

The exercises covered the entire operational lifecycle, from flight planning to real-time management, requiring close coordination between drone operators and airport air traffic controllers. Throughout the process, strict safety protocols were upheld, with priority consistently given to traditional airport operations.

The validated approach has direct applicability to highly complex environments such as airports and urban areas nearby, where airspace is dense and operational risks are higher. In practical terms, this framework could enable future drone-based maintenance and runway inspections, reducing operational downtime while preserving safety levels for conventional aviation.

In parallel, ENAIRE is developing and deploying one of the most advanced U-space platforms in Spain, with Indra as its technology partner. This infrastructure is expected to be a key enabler for the emergence of a new drone-based sector, generating new services, employment opportunities, and technological capabilities.

The Málaga validation also takes place amid rapidly increasing drone activity across Europe, driven by growing demand in sectors such as surveillance, infrastructure inspection, logistics, and emergency services. Reliable U-space systems capable of managing drone traffic safely and efficiently are becoming essential for integrating this growth into existing airspace operations.

Strengthening its position in this field, Indra recently acquired GuardianUTM, the unmanned traffic management platform developed by Altitude Angel in the United Kingdom. This acquisition broadens Indra’s portfolio of drone traffic management solutions and reinforces its leadership in both UTM and ATM technologies.

Indra’s extensive experience in conventional air traffic management underpins this leadership. The company has deployed systems in more than 11,000 facilities worldwide and offers one of the most comprehensive ranges of next-generation ATM solutions, capable of managing aircraft from take-off to landing.

About Indra
Indra is a leading Spanish multinational and one of the foremost global defense, air traffic and space companies that, through technology, protects our current way of life and anticipates the needs of the future. Its committed team of experts, its in-depth knowledge of the business and the latest technologies, and its unique innovation and systems integration capabilities make it the trusted technology partner for key operations and digitalization for its customers around the world. Thanks to its leadership in major European programs and projects, as well as its spirit of collaboration and partnership strategy, it drives the industrial and innovative ecosystem in these sectors. Indra is an Indra Group company which, in the 2024 fiscal year, posted revenue totaling €4.843 billion, with a local presence in 49 countries and business operations inover 140.

About ENAIRE
ENAIRE is the air navigation service provider in Spain.

As a company of the Ministry of Sustainable Transport and Mobility, it provides air traffic control services during the en route and approach phases of all flights to and from Spain and overflights. In addition, it manages communications, navigation and surveillance services from ENAIRE in the airspace and the entire AENA airport network in Spain and provides aerodrome air traffic control services in 21 airports, including the busiest.

ENAIRE is the fourth largest European air navigation service provider, and it is a member of international partnerships A6 Alliance, SESAR (Single European Sky ATM Research) Joint Undertaking, SESAR Deployment Manager, iTEC, CANSO (Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation) and collaborates closely with ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization).

ENAIRE has obtained the highest rating in the key performance indicator for air safety at European scale for six consecutive years, the last five with the maximum possible score of 100%. It has also been awarded the EFQM 600 Seal for its safe, efficient, innovative and sustainable management of air navigation services.

About SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking
SESAR is the technological pillar of the EU’s Single European Sky policy and a key enabler of the European Commission’s Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy. SESAR defines, develops and deploys technologies to transform air traffic management in Europe.

The SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking (SESAR 3 JU) is a European institutional public-private partnership set up to accelerate through research and innovation the delivery of this digital transformation, in other words, the Digital European Sky. To do so, it is harnessing, developing and accelerating the take-up of the most cutting-edge technological solutions to manage conventional aircraft, drones, air taxis and vehicles flying at higher altitudes. With the Digital European Sky comes the promise of making Europe’s airspace the most efficient and environmentally-friendly sky to fly in the world.

Building on the work of the first SESAR Joint Undertaking, the SESAR 3 JU has 10-year mandate (2021-2031), corresponding to the duration of the Horizon Europe programme (2021-2027), followed by 4 years to complete the work outlined in the Multiannual Work Programme.

Indra Communication Contact
Elsa Jiménez
ejimenezbl@indra.es
+34 669 82 93 19

ENAIRE Communication Contact
Alejandro Muñiz Delgado
amudelgado@enaire.es
+34678010699

SOURCE: Indra