Indra and the Galician company Gaerum have been working together on Targus, one of the largest civil drones in Europe, for several years. This work has now been rewarded by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), that approved Targus to start flight tests. It is the first time that a 1.25-ton aircraft prepared to fly with and without a pilot has been granted such a permit in Spain.

Starting next April, remote flight tests will begin, which will last for a year. During the tests, the cockpit pilot will assign control to the ground control center and will only intervene in the event of an incident and at the critical moments of landing and takeoff.

With Targus Indra complies with the deadlines and commitments assumed for the development of its Optionally Piloted Vehicle (OPV), one of the key projects addressed within the Civil UAVs Initiative, the ambitious proposal with which the Galician Innovation Agency (GAIN ) and the Xunta de Galicia want to make this region an international benchmark in the sector.

Dorothee Frank