Presentation

The development of UAV technologies requires, in addition to the design and fabrication of the hardware, qualified personnel to operate and maintain the platforms, a safe airspace to perform flight tests and compliance with the air traffic regulations that apply to the certification.

In response to these needs, INSA, a Spanish company owned by the Ministry of Defence through the National Institute for Aerospace Technology (INTA), is proud to introduce to the UAV market the CESVA, Autonomous Flight Systems Exploitation Centre.

Activities

CESVA engages in the following activities:

Full support to experimental and demonstration flights with specialized personnel.

• Logistics and flight permissions
• Technical support during campaigns
• Help obtaining certifications

Engineering and development of applications.

• Payload design, configuration and integration
• Ground Control Stations (GCS)
• Satellite communications
• Integration in GIS platforms and data processing

Training of pilots, operators and maintenance and auxiliary personnel.

• Training materials development
• Theoretical courses and practical sessions
• Integral simulation
• Mission, payload and GCS planning 

Services.

• Operations requested by customers using CESVA’s UAVs and personnel
• Preventive maintenance plans and periodic inspections
• Corrective maintenance
• System configuration control

Facilities

The CESVA has at its disposal a 1200 m2 hangar for UAV maintenance and holding. Inside the hangar there is an office area and another one dedicated to tests, simulation, maintenance and operation of systems. The latter is equipped with all that is necessary for working with UAVs and their systems.

In addition, UAVs are available for payload tests and pilot practical training.

Experience

INSA has wide experience in this field. Its most notable projects are related to GCS for INTA’s UAVs as a response to the latest required functionalities, such as the implementation of satellite communications between GCS and the Logistics Control Centre, design of X-band satellite communications for the UAV Milano, development of new automatic landing and manoeuvres functionalities, mission planning and validation, control software for the UAV Diana and the development of client adapted interfaces.

Partaking in the SIVA (Integrated Aerial Surveillance System) program has provided INSA with a unique know-how in experimental flights support, maintenance tasks and the training of pilots and operators for the Spanish Armed Forces.

INSA takes active part in large international R&D projects involving UAVs, such as ATLANTIDA and SINTONIA, both of them led by Boeing Research and Technology Europe.

We also benefit from the support of the Spanish Basic Air Academy (ABA), whose main mission is to give general and specialized training to its students, particularly in the specializations of Aircraft Maintenance Technician and Weapons Technician.

The University of Leon, which also collaborates with the Centre, has an Engineering School  that, as well as training Aeronautical Engineers, participates along with INSA in several R&D projects.

Contact

email: cesva@insa.org

Tel: +34 648 46 93 51