Telespazio Ibérica, part of the Leonardo & Thales Group and leader in high-tech solutions for the defence, aeronautics, security, transport and space sectors, is one of the new strategic partners of the Regional Government of Galicia within the framework of the Aerospace Pole of Galicia. We talk to its CEO, Carlos Fernández de la Peñas, about the objectives and innovative projects that will be carried out as part of this collaboration.

Telespazio Ibérica is one of the strategic partners of the Regional Government of Galicia in the framework of the Aerospace Pole of Galicia. What are the main strategic ideas behind this collaboration?

This collaboration focuses on four areas: a development plan for small and medium-sized companies, a plan to boost the Galician aerospace sector, a plan to develop startups in BFAero, the accelerator created as part of the Civil UAVs Initiative programme, and the creation of quality jobs around this project.

The Regional Government of Galicia and the companies involved in this initiative want to make Galicia the European benchmark in the drone industry. We are hoping to create a whole ecosystem around this sector, so that when a company is interested in any subject related to drones, they come here to start it. This will be an added value, a reinforcement of Galicia's commitment to the aerospace sector. Having the entire value chain here, with companies of different sizes participating in the project, is the best way to ensure its success and continuity over time.

Telespazio Ibérica is acting as a driving force, making it possible to pass on knowledge and the product in Galician companies. We have also formed a strategic alliance with them by purchasing their services. It is important to note that they will continue to own their products so that they can sell them freely on the market. We have committed to create 101 highly skilled jobs and to invest 75% of the public funds (6.68 million euros) in the recruitment of 6 companies and 4 knowledge centres. In total, we are committed to investing €605,000 in indirect returns, €1.59 million in reinvestment and €242,000 in entrepreneurial activities.

This commitment includes the creation of a ten-year Centre of Excellence in Geospatial Technologies in Galicia, a collaboration with the University of Vigo in the implementation of a dual Master's degree and a scholarship programme, an investment in the Business Factory Aero, the creation of an unmanned systems integration chain and a test laboratory in Rozas.

One of Telespazio's objectives in this project is a technological development based on drones and linked to the protection of biodiversity. What does it consist of and what are its objectives?

The aim is to use drones to monitor Galicia's biodiversity in order to better protect it. Satellites give us good images, but if we use drones, which fly lower, they are closer and better define the elements we want to analyse.

By doing so, we can analyse the evolution of the coastline, of the forests or how deforestation is progressing in some areas, the risk of fires, the situation of some infrastructures such as pipelines, oil pipelines, electricity lines, etc. We create a practical product that is easier and more useful to work with.

But before doing all this, we are working with drones in three ways: providing them with permanent communication, creating independent systems that allow the drone to identify obstacles and avoid them on their own and, finally, algorithms to improve positioning, linked to Galileo's GNSS processing, in order to have a more accurate and reliable position.

Telespazio is a leading company in Spain in the field of geoinformation. What are the benefits of drones in this area and how can they improve public and emergency services?

UAVs, or drones, are part of Telespazio Ibérica's strategy to strengthen our status as a leader in geoinformation in Spain. The images provided by satellites are valid and useful for certain jobs. However, we are aware that images have a limited resolution and that there are applications where this is not sufficient. This is where drones come in. By flying lower, you get images with resolution down to the millimetre. The sum of the two allows us to offer our customers a wider range of products and services to meet their needs.

Together with the University of Vigo, you are promoting a pioneering dual Master's degree in geospatial technology in Spain. What is the aim?

This dual Master's degree in geospatial information is a great opportunity for graduates from other disciplines to specialise in this knowledge. We want these people to end up working with us, giving them the aspects we need that are not part of their disciplines, making them perfect candidates to work at Telespazio Ibérica.

The Master's degree has another feature that makes it even more attractive. It is a dual programme that combines theoretical knowledge with the necessary practical application in the working environment. This collaboration between the University of Vigo and our company is the ideal answer to training the highly qualified staff that many technology companies require and that we sometimes find so difficult to find and subsequently retain.

How do you rate the Regional Government of Galicia's commitment to the aerospace sector?

Very positively. This is a long-standing commitment that has been strengthened year after year thanks to the combination of a determined policy to promote this sector, based on cooperation between the different administrations and between them and private companies.

Another element that I would describe as fundamental is the mechanism called innovative public procurement, an instrument that is very close to the market and what the market needs. It is a tool to promote innovation through the procurement of innovative solutions or solutions under development from companies, groups and research centres.

With this mechanism, a real technological ecosystem is being developed in the Aerospace Pole in Galicia and the local ecosystem is being strengthened. In this way, Galicia is strengthening its position in the national and international technological setting.