The ports of Valencia and Seville in Spain have hosted demonstrations showcasing the potential of U-space services to enhance logistics, emergency response, and operational efficiency in complex port environments, as part of the European U-ELCOME project.
On January 23, 2025, the Port of Valencia served as the setting for a U-space validation exercise with drones in an emergency drill. The event, organized by the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) in collaboration with the Valencia Port Authority, featured participation from Customs Surveillance, the Local Police of Valencia, the Valencia Fire Department, and industry players such as UAV Works and PrimeCor Systems, according to a project press release.
“The Valencia demonstration highlighted the ability of U-space services to coordinate multiple drone operations simultaneously, including anchorage zone surveillance, topographical assessments, emergency logistics, and public safety support. Operations were managed through the U-space ecosystem, involving U-space service providers (USSPs) ENAIRE, DALIAH (associated with the Instituto Tecnológico de Galicia), and DronAS (DroneLab of the Autonomous University of Barcelona), alongside the national Common Information Service Provider (CISP) managed by ENAIRE. This setup simulated a real-time emergency response scenario, centralizing operations in an Advanced Command Post (PMA) to demonstrate the effectiveness of coordinated drone management.”
The Port of Seville hosted another demonstration on February 8, 2025, focusing on drone applications for logistics and infrastructure monitoring. This event, organized by ENAIRE, the Seville Port Authority and the AIRUS consortium, tested how U-space services can support safe, efficient, and scalable drone operations in port environments.
The Seville trials featured a series of drone flights simulating logistical support, perimeter surveillance, and infrastructure monitoring within the port’s facilities. A key achievement was the successful demonstration of beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations, essential for expanding drone applications in industrial and logistics settings.
“The Seville Port Authority, which has actively supported drone integration, showcased how these technologies can improve port management and optimize daily operations,” said the U-ELCOME press release. “Both demonstrations underline the U-ELCOME project’s commitment to developing a scalable, harmonized framework for drone operations across Europe. By integrating U-space services in real-world port environments, these trials contribute to enhancing safety, efficiency, and sustainability in urban and industrial airspace…the U-ELCOME project will continue its series of validation exercises, with the next major Open Day scheduled for February 27 in Benidorm, where new capabilities of U-space service providers and high-performance drone models will be tested in urban environments.”
U-ELCOME is a three-year SESAR Digital Sky Demonstrator project, involving 51 partners whose overall aim is to support the market uptake of U1 and U2 services. With demonstrations taking place in three European countries, the project aims to develop interoperability and support EU harmonisation of U-space services. Taking into consideration the various U-Space actors and stakeholders this project values collaboration and information-sharing. Join us to find out more about the research project and what activities are planned and how the project hopes to make U-space a European reality.
For more information
https://www.eurocontrol.int/project/u-elcome
