This large-scale air show, a pioneer in Europe, is part of the European project U-ELCOME (CEF-T-2021-SIMOBGEN-SESAR-DSDU-WORKS), in which 51 partners from three countries - Spain, France and Italy - participate, all coordinated by EUROCONTROL. Its objective is to integrate and validate the first U-space services (air traffic management for drones) in Europe. To this end, several large-scale demonstrations are being carried out in real flight conditions in Spain, France and Italy.
'The first flight of the EHang EH216-S air taxi in an urban environment in Europe, although without passengers, is a crucial step towards Urban Air Mobility (UAM), which will allow progress in the regulation, technology and infrastructure necessary to make it a reality in this decade, with airspace management of multi-drone flight being the key to success’ said Israel Quintanilla, director of the Official Drones Commission of the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) and coordinator of the project in the Valencian Community.
Benidorm has been selected as one of the first European cities in which actions of this nature are being carried out, and it could become one of the first cities where drone applications in urban environments are a reality. 'In 2016, we committed to this technology, incorporating it into the operations of the Local Police, the first in Spain to be declared a drone operator, and since then, and with the help of Universitat Politècnica de València, we have continued to take steps to consolidate our preferential position in a segment of the future, making our airspace available to the European project U-ELCOME, unique in Europe due to its concentration of high-rise buildings that make it the perfect laboratory to test the different applications of uncrewed air transport', said Antonio Pérez, Mayor of Benidorm. Now, moreover, by hosting the first flight test of an air taxi in Europe, 'Benidorm is once again a pioneer, marking a new milestone in drone navigation'.
Victoria Jing Xiang, COO of EHang for Europe and LatAm, has also emphasised that this flight represents a major step forward in the integration of uncrewed aerial systems in urban environments: ‘The successful operation of our most emblematic aircraft, the EH216-S, in coordination with multiple drones under a U-Space system, demonstrates the viability of safe, efficient and sustainable urban air mobility solutions. We are delighted to participate and contribute with our technology to the U-ELCOME project and collaborate with the city of Benidorm and UPV to boost the future of air transport’.
‘For the first time, the simultaneous drone operation with an air taxi has been possible in the digital U-space environment in a safe way with multiple U-space Service Providers (USSP): ENAIRE, ITG and the UAB’, added Gonzalo Alonso, Head of the Commercial Division and International Business Development at ENAIRE, and leader of the Spanish U-ELCOME cluster.
The aerial demonstration held today in Benidorm, led by the Universitat Politècnica de València, has been possible thanks to public-private collaboration and the coordinated work between the UPV, EHang, Benidorm City Council, EUROCONTROL, ENAIRE, the State Air Safety Agency (AESA), the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Galicia Institute of Technology (ITG) and Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), the National Police of Alicante, the PEGASO team of the Civil Guard, the Autonomous Police of the Valencian Community, the Customs Unit of Alicante, the Fire Department of the City of Valencia, Telefónica, UAV Works and the Local Police of Benidorm, Cullera, Finestrat, Jávea and Valencia, and the participation of the local audiovisual company Mediterra Cinema in the aerial drone filming of the event.
Key to the safe integration of drones
The U-ELCOME project, which will conclude at the end of this year, is key to promoting the safe integration of drones through U-space services and contributes to laying the foundations for a future of more connected and sustainable cities.
To this end, all the project partners have been working for three years on the development and validation of drone airspace management services in urban environments in such a way as to enable operations and applications in cities that would not otherwise be possible.
What stops us from seeing air taxis like today in our cities?
According to Israel Quintanilla, the implementation of air taxis in our cities, although it is getting closer, still has to overcome different aspects related to regulation and infrastructure, as well as social acceptance.
'Air taxis, as a new paradigm of air transport, require specific regulation, which is currently being developed in Europe. In addition, new physical infrastructures are needed to enable the operation of this type of aircraft, such as vertiports - areas specifically designed for landings and take-offs of these aircraft, as well as urban design and planning that allow these operations of airspace', said Quintanilla.
In addition, the UPV senior lecturer stressed, ' We must continue working to enable society to see the benefits of drones. Demonstrations such as the one in Benidorm help to significantly improve the citizens' perception and assessment of this technology'.
Regarding ENAIRE, Gonzalo Alonso indicates that the integration of passenger air taxis into the airspace has to fulfil the same safety criteria as commercial aviation and that we are experiencing an important digital transformation that will allow the operation of uncrewed air taxis through U-space systems alongside traditional aviation. For this reason, ENAIRE participates in many European projects related to Innovative Air Mobility (IAM), a concept created by EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency).