ACORDE TECHNOLOGIES SA

Their core work

ACORDE is a Spanish SME specializing in GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver technology, signal processing, and precision positioning solutions. They design low-cost navigation and attitude determination systems using Galileo, GPS, and EGNOS signals, with applications ranging from drone navigation to precision agriculture robotics. Their core technical strength lies in software-defined radio (SDR) receivers and open-source RTK positioning, which they apply across sectors including autonomous vehicles, smart farming, and industrial sensing.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In 2014–2018, ACORDE focused tightly on core GNSS technology: building low-cost attitude determination systems, multi-constellation augmentation networks, and SDR-based receivers (GLAD, GLAD-2, AUDITOR). From 2019 onward, they pivoted toward applying that positioning expertise in real-world autonomous systems — agricultural robots, drone frameworks, and smart perception — while also branching into software engineering practices (DevOps/AIOps). The shift is from "building the positioning engine" to "deploying it in autonomous machines and intelligent systems."

ACORDE is transitioning from a pure GNSS technology developer into an applied autonomy company, making them a strong partner for projects needing precise navigation in drones, robots, or agricultural machinery.

How they like to work

ACORDE leads as often as they follow — coordinating 4 of 7 projects, which is unusual for an SME of their size. Their coordinator projects tend to be smaller and more focused (SME Instrument, targeted RIAs), while they join larger Innovation Action consortia as a specialist contributor. With 130 unique partners across 13 countries, they have broad reach but are not locked into repeat partnerships, suggesting they bring specific technical value that different consortia seek out.

ACORDE has collaborated with 130 different partners across 13 European countries, indicating a well-connected SME that attracts diverse consortia. Based in Santander, Spain, their partnerships span well beyond the Iberian Peninsula into broader European research and industry networks.

What sets them apart

ACORDE occupies a rare niche: they combine deep GNSS signal processing expertise with practical autonomous systems integration, all as a nimble SME. Unlike large aerospace companies that offer positioning as part of massive systems, ACORDE delivers focused, low-cost, open-source-friendly positioning solutions that can be embedded into drones, robots, and agricultural equipment. Their willingness to coordinate projects — unusual for a small company — means they can lead focused technical workpackages, not just contribute components.

Highlights from their portfolio

• GLAD-2
  Their largest project (EUR 990K as coordinator) — a Phase 2 SME Instrument developing a low-cost GNSS/INS navigation system for drones and unmanned aircraft.
• GALIRUMI
  Unusual cross-domain project combining Galileo satellite positioning with robotic weeding and visual detection for dairy farming — shows their ability to apply core tech in unexpected sectors.
• COMP4DRONES
  Large multi-partner Innovation Action on autonomous drone frameworks, where ACORDE contributed positioning and navigation expertise to a broader ecosystem.