The Andalusian Foundation for Aerospace Development (FADA), which is the promoter of the ATLAS Centre, and Boeing Research & Technology-Europe (BR&T-Europe) have subscribed an agreement of collaboration to allow Boeing use the new Air Traffic Laboratory for Advanced Systems (ATLAS) Experimental Flight Centre for testing activities with unmanned aerial aircraft and systems. This facility is being fostered by FADA in the locality of Villacarrillo (Jaén) and will be operational in the coming weeks.  

The agreement between both entities enables Boeing’s European tech centre to benefit from its position of preferential customer and use the aerodrome and the ATLAS facilities, with the goal of performing its own tests, probes and validation of new technologies and applications related to unmanned aerial systems. The agreement has been signed by the general director of FADA, Juan Pedro Vela, and the general director of BR&T-Europe, José Enrique Román.

According to Juan Pedro Vela, “this agreement involves also the confirmation of the ATLAS Centre as a international reference point for companies and R&D entities in the aerospace industry, enabling them carry out their own tests and probes with the latest technologies in the field of light unmanned systems and vehicles”, he stated.  With this agreement, both entities strengthen the collaboration in the spheres of technology and aerospace they started in 2009 and which is focused on different R&D projects and initiatives related to the aerospace industry.

By his side, José Enrique Román, expressed his satisfaction for the subscribed agreement, “since our European research centre will be able to continue developing new applications and technologies in one of the world’s most promising aerospace areas”.