Jaén has achieved a New milestone related to drone flight at European level. For the first time in Europe, a control transfer operation (Handover) has been carried out in full flight without interruptions in the link. The importance of the operation lies not only in crucial applications that have this type of flights for the transport of medical supplies in remote areas, but in how they have achieved it.
What happened. In the Jiennense olive grove, between Beas de Segura and Villacarrillo, its Atlas Alpha and Atlas Bravo centers have carried out successfully The first European drone control transfer operation. Those responsible for the project describe a flight in which a protagonist has participated a UAS Tarsis (non -manned fixed -wing system) of 75 kilos, accompanied by two multi -pile drones and three Spanish flight teams, in collaboration with the University of Seville.
The goal? Show the viability of unmanned air systems in transport of health material in remote or difficult access areas. But the key is not in the objective of use, it is on the flight itself.
Why is it important. It is the first time in Europe that an operation of this draft is performed. Until now, it had never been possible to transfer the full flight control of a fixed wing drone with these dimensions between two stations separated by 23km.
This flight represents an important advance in the future of drug transport in remote areas and a break between the barriers of distance: the limitations cease to be a problem if the transfer of the drone is successful.
Why is it so difficult. Dron’s operations are limited by their radius of scope: If the aircraft moves away from its control stationGoodbye flight. Hence the importance of achieving a real -time control transfer and without interruptions. But this goes beyond the technical side.
The milestone here is not the distance, it is the relay. The “Handover” is not just a transfer of flight mechanics, it is a transfer of legal and operational responsibility. This project shows that, in the future, a drone managed by a company A can go through space and transfer flight responsibility to a company B.


The U-Space. To make this transfer possible, the European Union has a set of services and procedures framed within what it calls U-spaceits traffic management system for drones. When operating under this framework, each operator must register their drone, present their flight plan and obtain real-time digital authorization through the U-Space system, under the supervision of the common information provider (CISP), in this case the Spanish ENAIRE.
This flight was not a simulation, but a real test with multiple actors of how it is possible to coordinate a control transfer operation under an U-SPAC infrastructure. It shows that it is viable to climb this model to other missions with low altitude drones, from health logistics to surveillance, agriculture or emergencies.
Europe had not achieved it. Jaén has been the first to achieve it, although in Europe efforts are being focused to minimize reach losses on long distance flights. Galicia has designed U-Space cells in the ports of A Coruña and Malpica To connect two points in the same management and Valencia space too Drones for logistics operations in its ports.
The Jiennense project will not be the only one. This is a project at European level, and it is planned to develop throughout eight Spanish autonomous communities: Andalusia, Aragon, Canary Islands, Catalonia, Valencian Community, Galicia, Madrid and Navarra.
Image | ENAIRE
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