Sando obtains the authorisation to operate drones in controlled airspace, urban areas and night flights

02/08/2021

The State Aviation Safety Agency (AESA) has authorised Sando to carry out drone flights in controlled airspace, urban areas and night flights. This certification certifies Sando to offer a higher quality service in the works and services it carries out by allowing it to take images and data with drones in practically any location.

Sando has been a pioneer in using drones for infrastructures since the LAS ROADS R&D&I project began more than a decade ago. Since then, it has initiated almost a dozen research and construction solutions that have put it at the forefront of drones in the sector.

Once again, this new qualification puts Sando among the leading infrastructure and services companies to use drones in its activity, as it did in 2014 when it graduated its pilots in the country’s first AESA class.

Research projects

Sando’s pragmatic spirit has driven it to investigate the application of different technologies in drones over the last decade. The use of UAS (Unmanned Aerial System), commonly known as drones, has given Sando great potential due to their versatility and low cost.

Starting from photogrammetry, Sando has embarked on laser drones to study coastal erosion, as in the Costaverproject, or thermal imaging cameras and multispectral sensors, as in the UAV-Green study for the aerial conservation of green areas.

In Sando’s latest drone project, CONPREVAM, the company trained three occupational risk prevention technicians as pilots, which has given the research greater autonomy. This study is based on a tool to study the concentration of suspended particles and potentially hazardous gases in working environments.

In this case, Sando has been granted this authorisation following the latest regulation in 2020. This new regulation assumes the European Union’s precepts and authorises companies such as Sando to operate flights with greater freedom. ENAIRE, the public business entity for air navigation in Spain, currently manages this activity.

Sando’s commitment to R&D&I policies and promoting a culture of innovation enables the company to face market challenges with the necessary technological tools, thus contributing to sustainable development.