Benidorm hosts conference on drone use and airspace management with leading industry operators
The city is Europe’s first example of drone integration into controlled urban airspace and serves as a testing ground for future applications of this technology
Benidorm hosted a working conference this morning on the use of drones and U-space — the management of airspace for drone operations — bringing together representatives of the sector’s leading operators to assess the current stage of deployment of this technology and explore future applications.
Benidorm Mayor Toni Pérez took part in the opening session of the event, which was also organised by the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) and ENAIRE, the Spanish state-owned company responsible for managing air navigation and air traffic control in Spanish airspace.
The event was also attended by Juan José Cortés, Director General for Innovation at the Valencian Regional Government’s Department of Industry, Tourism, Innovation and Trade, and Israel Quintanilla, head of the UPV’s Official Drone Commission. Other members of the local council were also present, including Councillor for Citizen Security Jesús Carrobles.
The mayor highlighted Benidorm’s role in recent years as a “testing laboratory” for the deployment of this technology and the integration of drones into controlled airspace. The city has worked on the project in collaboration with the Universitat Politècnica de València, through the Local Police Air Unit, as well as numerous organisations and service providers, including EUROCONTROL, ENAIRE, the Spanish Aviation Safety and Security Agency (AESA) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
Toni Pérez also expressed hope that the technical conference would encourage “learning and the exchange of knowledge and experiences” among all participants. Attendees included representatives of companies and service providers, as well as Spain’s State Security Forces and Corps and various police, healthcare and emergency services. He assured those present that “just as we did in the past, by anticipating developments and placing our city at the service of this new tool, Benidorm will continue to serve as a testing ground for future innovation initiatives, aerospace mobility and the regulation of airspace use”.
As part of the conference’s technical programme, the first speaker was Norberto Vera, representing the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation (EUROCONTROL), who presented the U-space project in Benidorm. He was followed by Mariña Álvarez, Head of Airspace Policy at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC), under the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, who spoke about the National Action Plan for U-space Deployment and Zoning (PANDU+).
After a short break, Daniel García-Monteavaro of ENAIRE and Israel Quintanilla of the UPV discussed what U-space means for drone operators and general aviation. Daniel García-Monteavaro, also representing ENAIRE, then gave a presentation on the simulation of U-space operations.
Throughout the conference, participants shared their knowledge and reflected on several pioneering milestones achieved in Benidorm in this field. These included Europe’s first simultaneous flight operation involving an air taxi — EHang’s EH216 model — and multiple drones, all operating at the same time in a real urban environment featuring high-rise buildings. The operation was coordinated by the Universitat Politècnica de València in February 2025 as part of the European U-ELCOME project.
