Drones and unmanned helicopters from Indra and Inaer will boost the new Technological Center of Rozas

With an investment of 115 millions of euros, this pioneering project in Europe, awarded to the joint proposal of Indra and Inaer in a public tender, will be developed entirely in Galicia, with the aim of promoting an industrial pole and development of UAV technologies (drones and unmanned helicopters) Civil.

Multinationals Indra (Spaniard) E Inaer (Australian) have been awarded the public tender UAV's Iniciative convened by the Galician Government for the creation of a technological center of drones for civil use in the aerodrome of Rozas, in Castro de Rei (Outeiro de Rei – Lugo), to which nine applications were submitted from large companies such as Airbus, Boeing, Indra, Everis, Elbit Systems, Augustawestland with Telespazio, Inaer and Thales, as well as the joint ventures formed by Galician and Madrid SMEs.

The president of the Xunta of Galicia, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, and its Industry Advisor, Francisco Conde, have announced this award, which will have an investment of 115 millions of euros, of which 40 millions will be provided by the Galician Innovation Agency (Gain), dependent on the Galician Government, and the 75 remaining privately funded.

According to the data provided, it is estimated that the centre will create some six hundred direct and indirect jobs, as well as the installation of six new companies in Galicia, of which three will be newly created by Indra, and the other three (cubens, S4A Solutions for Aviation and Tecnam Aviation) will move to the new center, To which are added contracts with eighteen local companies and fourteen technological knowledge centers, including the three Galician universities.

The joint proposal of Indra and the helicopter operator Inaer aims to "develop the first industrial and technological pole for the creation of civil unmanned aircraft in Spain". A project that will last until the year 2020 and that will be carried out at the Aeroborne Research Center of Rozas (Back water) that the Xunta and the National Institute of Aerospace Technology (INTA) have been implemented in Lugo.

This project combines the helicopter operator's experience in inaer civilian emergency missions, especially in firefighting, with Indra's ability to develop complete UAV systems. In this sense, the Spanish technology multinational has carried out projects covering everything from the supply of aerial platforms to the development of airport sensors, communications and mission systems that integrate these drones.

The offer presented by both companies is perfectly aligned with the objectives of the Xunta, which seeks to launch an R&D-intensive and high added value project, which at the same time is aimed at improving public services, such as firefighting, coastal surveillance or detection of fishing grounds or discharges into the sea.

These public service activities are among the first civil applications that this type of aircraft will be able to assume, given its low risk to air safety and its potential benefits, as they stressed during the presentation of the project of the new Technological Center.

Inaer has been working for more than eight years in R&D activities linked to UAVs and from 2013 develops in Galicia an unmanned helicopter of 150 Kg. of weight called Lumes, which aims to become the first unmanned helicopter of its kind to start operating in Europe in forest firefighting missions in two years.

For its part, Indra will build an advanced UAV Technology Center in Rozas, and will transfer much of the activities it is developing in this environment to Galicia, such as the evolution of the Aerial MRI Surveillance System into the Targus unmanned system (IPO – Optional Piloted Vehicle), which will also be the first aircraft of this type developed in Spain.

Indra will also develop a high-load-capacity rotary-wing vehicle and a Mission and Data Processing Center, that will be responsible for collecting and analyzing the data generated by the sensors of the UAVs, manage missions and perform remote control of devices. In addition, unmanned helicopter factories to be set up (Inaer) and drones (Indra), a technology center, an office of design and certification of UAVs, instruction and training units for pilots and operators

Both companies will act as tractor companies to support the transformation of the existing industrial fabric in areas of great importance in Galicia, as the automotive and naval, para lo cual la Xunta busca socios industriales que permitan diversificar la actividad de estas empresas locales y apoyarlas para que puedan especializarse en una actividad que ofrece un alto potencial de crecimiento en los próximos años.

Indra mantiene una fuerte presencia en Galicia, donde cuenta con unos quinientos profesionales y centros en Ferrol, Corunna, Santiago de Compostela y Vigo.

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