Purpose-built UAV Test Center Opens In Spain
Atlas has been created to provide a facility for testing a range of light/medium unmanned air vehicles and technologies.
USol’s K50 (right) and K150 UAVs conduct operations at the purpose-built Atlas test center that officially opened last week. (Photo: David Donald)
USol’s K50 (right) and K150 UAVs conduct operations at the purpose-built Atlas test center that officially opened last week. (Photo: David Donald)

Europe’s first purpose-built center for UAV research activities has opened in Spain. Known as Atlas (air traffic laboratory for advanced unmanned systems), the facility was officially opened on March 21 by the president of Andalucía, Susana Díaz, whose regional government has funded much of the €4.5 million ($6 million) implementation of the project from European Union allocations. Additional funding has come from national government, and the site has been developed in close cooperation with potential customers, such as Boeing.