Benidorm hosts the first massive simultaneous flight of drones at European level in an urban environment

This afternoon Benidorm hosted the first massive simultaneous flight of drones at the national and European levels, a showing framed in the European project U-ELCOME, in which public and private initiatives come together. 27 drones took part in the flight and it took place in an urban environment.

The showing was attended by Mayor Toni Pérez, accompanied by the Councilor for Citizen Security, Jesús Carrobles, and by Israel Quintanilla, professor at the UPV, and Daniel García-Monteavaro, head of the UAS Business Development Department of ENAIRE. Representatives of the State Aviation Safety Agency (AESA) and the General Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGAC) also attended.

The objective pursued by the European U-ELCOME project is to integrate and validate the first U-Space services on the continent. That is, it organizes and manages the drone airspace so that these aircraft can develop their full potential and applications. “It is about opening the way so that, in a short space of time, they can coexist in safe conditions in the airspace, for example, the transport of goods, emergency assistance, first aid operations and inspection tasks,” said the mayor.

Pérez highlighted that Benidorm "is once again a pioneer in drone technology by hosting this flight, an event that will mark a turning point in airspace management." He has also highlighted the importance of “teamwork”, with the U-ELCOME project being “an example and reflection of a joint and collaborative action in which Benidorm has the best partners”, among which he cited Eurocontrol, Enaire, the UPV “and up to 51 partners from Spain, France and Italy.”
Toni Pérez has highlighted that Benidorm is a “pole of attraction” for millions of people and that now “it is also a pole of attraction for the development of drone technology” because of the skyline, telecommunications services, the maritime and mountainous environment, etc. “It makes us the best testing laboratory to test protocols, operations and technologies.”

Since the foundations of the current Local Police Air Unit began in 2016 until now, Benidorm “has not only consolidated the use of this technology as a public service but has positioned itself in the field of drone technology and in the configuration and management of safe airspaces, which will be decisive for the future development of communications, transportation and assistance in much more sustainable conditions.”

It was at the beginning of 2020 when the urban environment of Belgium Avenue was used for Vodafone 5G flights, which served as a model for the Delorean project flights in 2021 and 2022. And just a week ago also those of the SONORA project. “Today it is the U-ELCOME project that makes the leap from paper to action with this massive simultaneous flight,” the mayor stressed.

Pérez also wanted to thank the twelve municipalities (Finestrat, La Nucía, Altea, La Vila Joiosa, El Campello, Paterna, Gandía, València, Jávea, Denia, Elche and Cullera) that have moved their Local Police to the city for this simultaneous flight, as well as the Air Safety and Protection sections of the National Police of Alicante, Valencia and Murcia, the PEGASO team of the Alicante Civil Guard, the Regional Police, the Valencian Security and Emergency Response Agency, to the Valencia Firefighters and the civil operators of the UPV and the companies UAV Works, General Drones, Mediterracinema and Blau Comunicaciones.

Finally, the mayor reaffirmed "our commitment to technology and innovation at the service of progress, facilitating the use of our Urban Lab for this project and any future initiatives proposed in the field of drone technology." "This 'project has the stamp of Benidorm well stamped, not only because it is the scene of this massive flight, but also because the Air Unit of the Local Police and two local companies participate in this operation that constitutes a milestone in the field of drone technology” has ended.

Daniel García-Monteavaro, for his part, stated that the project being tested now “will serve to harmonize Europe” and highlighted that “we are the only country that is carrying out projects on several platforms at the same time.”

Finally, Israel Quintanilla explained the U-ELCOME project and clarified that for drones to fly simultaneously “they must have an approved flight plan.” “That's what the project does, coordinate the drones,” he pointed out. Quintanilla has also emphasized the suitability of Benidorm to carry out these tests "due to its characteristics since it has everything in its environment."