President Isabel Díaz Ayuso has announced a new line of aid amounting to €1.45 million for the civil use of drones by SMEs, a single window for procedures, and a research drone park in Fuenlabrada.
The Community of Madrid wants drones to be part of the daily operations of its businesses and public services. This Wednesday, President Isabel Díaz Ayuso presented a package of measures that includes €1.45 million in subsidies for SMEs and midcaps in the sector, a single window to centralise municipal permits, and the creation of a drone park for research at the La Cantueña facilities in Fuenlabrada.
Direct aid for SMEs and midcaps
The line of aid, which will be open until July 31, is aimed at companies based or operating in the region. The subsidies cover productive investments up to €350,000, consultancy and certification services up to €150,000, and attendance at sector events up to €100,000. For SMEs, the aid finances between 10% and 35% of productive investments and 50% of other expenses; midcaps can apply for between 10% and 15% of their costs.
Applications can be submitted through the electronic headquarters of the Community of Madrid. As Ayuso explained, the aim is to support a strategic sector that already generates 3,200 active operators in the region, accounting for 30% of the manufacturing and assembly companies of drones in Spain.
Single window and drone park in Fuenlabrada
In addition to the aid, the regional government is finalising a single window for drones to centralise all municipal procedures needed by professional and commercial operators. The measure aims to streamline permits for flights, something that until now forced entrepreneurs to deal with various local administrations.
At the same time, a drone park will be established at the La Cantueña facilities in Fuenlabrada, aimed at advanced research in the sector. A specialised training centre for young pilots, mechanics, and developers will also be set up there. The choice of Fuenlabrada is not coincidental: the municipality in the metropolitan south is consolidating as a technological hub, supported by the Digital Entrepreneurship Network (RETECH) and the aerospace node of Tres Cantos.
“The Community of Madrid is innovation and future; it is the region of great opportunities, of research, of the latest technology for our companies and especially our public services,” said Díaz Ayuso during her visit to the Telefónica Drone Center, the National Supervision and Operation Center of Telefónica, where she observed the operation of remotely operated drones.
Drones in emergency and logistics services
The region is already using drones in public services. SUMMA 112 employs them for emergency support, providing real-time images that allow for quicker decision-making. They are also used in forest environments, with artificial vision to detect fires early. Projects like “ALE-HOP” enable the urgent transport of medicines, blood, and medical supplies between hospitals.
These initiatives are part of the Drone Strategy of the Community of Madrid, which also includes the development of a regional network for emergency services, logistics operations for parcel delivery, and air taxis. The region is already the second autonomous community in terms of the number of professional operators, with around 3,200 active out of a total of 20,000 across Spain, and hosts 31% of the companies approved by the State Agency for Air Safety for training pilots and technicians.
For Madrid-based companies in the sector, these measures represent a bureaucratic relief and an economic boost. The single window, in particular, promises to reduce authorisation times, a common headache for operators. Meanwhile, the drone park in Fuenlabrada aims to be a magnet for startups and R&D projects, competing with other European centres.
The aid is already available for application, and the deadline expires on July 31. Interested parties must submit the documentation through the electronic headquarters of the Community of Madrid, where the requirements and coverage percentages are detailed. Those wishing to train will have to wait for the opening of the La Cantueña centre, the schedule for which has yet to be confirmed.
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