Low Altitude Economy

We are looking to research and develop the necessary air and land infrastructure to turn the Low Altitude Economy into a reality in Europe.

To start with, we are focusing on implementing it as soon as possible using the technologies and regulations available today. To do so, TECNALIA has opted to develop a comprehensive, mobile solution, which can be transported and located anywhere, and serves an ecosystem of drones in their environment.

Our mission is to turn drones inspecting wind farms and photovoltaic farms, monitoring critical infrastructure, such as power plants and ports, or providing support in sectors such as agriculture and forestry care into a reality as soon as possible. 

At the same time, we are working on the research and development of those technologies that do not exist yet but will be essential to implement the Low Altitude Economy on a large scale over the coming years. Therefore, we are building alliances with key businesses and government institutions to jointly define a technical and regulatory framework. We are anticipating the future. 

The challenge is not just to make drones that fly, but to make many drones fly in a limited and changing space, and to do so in a safe, organised, coordinated and efficient way.

Of course, once this challenge has been solved, the possibilities are endless. There could be drones that take orders placed on-line to balconies, monitor beaches and can launch a float to a swimmer in difficulties, transport blood and organs between hospitals… And, why not, air taxis that transport passengers?

Initially, we believe that their first flights will be tourist flights in limited environments, such as moving between islands in a Caribbean archipelago or seeing natural wonders, such as the Iguazu Falls from another perspective. However, it is also clear to us that they will gradually penetrate cities until we are able to travel through large urban centres in just a few minutes.