Andalusian Foundation For Aerospace Development
www.catec.aero
Description of the organization
The Andalusian Foundation for Aerospace Development (FADA) is a non-profit organisation that takes care of the management of CATEC research centre. The main goal is R&D on aerospace related technologies in coordination with industries, universities and other research centres. FADA-CATEC has currently 45 researchers and was awarded with a 21 Million Euros Grant for laboratories and equipment in 2008. The Avionics and Systems Division will be the one involved in this project. This Division includes more than 20 researchers working on aerial robotics technologies and it has a large experience in developing solutions and applications with aerial robots. Also, FADA-CATEC has a vast experience developing aerial robots for inspection activities. In the last 8 years it has been developed solutions based on aerial robots for the inspection of: windmill blades using thermography, Gas&Oil chimneys and pipes, railway infrastructures, viaducts, industrial infrastructures, bridges, etc.
FADA-CATEC has a large experience integrating and demonstrating the developed technologies in realistic environments and increasing the TRL of novel robotics technologies. In fact, FADA-CATEC won the Overall Innovation Radar Prize 2017 granted by the European Commission for its technology for industrial contact inspection using aerial robots (http://www.euronews.com/2017/12/04/new-drone-technology-wins-innovation-radar-prize-2017), being the first time a robotic technology have won this prize. Also, FADA-CATEC, along with University of Seville and Airbus D&S, was awarded the Special Innovative Prize at the 1st EU Drones Award. On the other hand, FADA-CATEC has a strong activity related to the future certification of UAS and has actively participated in the working groups that is helping in the definition of the future European regulation with EASA (European Aviation Authority), and also, is part of the Advisory Committee of AESA (Spanish National Aviation Authority) and is a member of the Informal Drone Expert Group created by the European Commission. Moreover, FADA-CATEC is also participating in the definition of future industrial standards for aerial robots. FADA-CATEC is a limited member of EUROCAE (European Organisation for Civil Aviation Equipment) and participates in WG-105 Working Group (Unmanned Aircraft Systems), leading the SORA Focus Team and participating in the FAS Ad Hoc Group on adaptation of DO-178/ED-12 to UAS (join activity between RTCA and EUROCAE). FADA-CATEC is also a member of the WG for UAS in AENOR which the Spanish representative for ISO committees. Finally, FADA-CATEC has a wide experience participating in European projects; having participating in 9 FP7 projects (having coordinated 3 of them: ARCAS, EC-SAFEMOBIL and MUAC-IREN) in the last 10 years and already participating in 8 H2020 projects.
Involved Staffs
Antidio Viguria, Miguel Ángel Trujillo, Antonio Jiménez
Role in the AERIAL-CORE project and main tasks
CATEC will be the leader of WP2 specifications and design, and WP8 providing its strong expertise in the integration of aerial robot technologies. CATEC will also have an important role in the validation activities since they will be taken place in ATLAS Test Center.