FUNDACION ANDALUZA PARA EL DESARROLLO AEROESPACIAL

Their core work

FADA-CATEC is a Spanish aerospace research centre specializing in aerial robotics, drone systems, and robotic inspection technologies. They develop unmanned aerial vehicles and hybrid robotic platforms for infrastructure inspection (bridges, pipelines, roads), urban air mobility, and advanced manufacturing processes like additive manufacturing for aerospace components. Their core work bridges the gap between robotic research and industrial deployment — turning prototype drone and robot systems into operational tools for maintenance, inspection, and autonomous flight in real-world environments.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In 2014–2018, FADA-CATEC focused on pioneering aerial robotic platforms for physical inspection — robots with arms that could touch bridges (AEROBI), inspect pipes (HYFLIERS), and operate in marine environments (MarineUAS). From 2019 onward, their work shifted decisively toward drone integration in urban airspace, autonomous flight operations, and scalable inspection systems — reflected in projects like DELOREAN, AMU-LED, Uspace4UAM, and PILOTING. The evolution shows a clear progression from building individual inspection robots to orchestrating fleets of autonomous drones within regulated urban environments.

FADA-CATEC is moving toward operational drone autonomy in urban environments, making them a strong partner for any project involving UAM deployment, U-space integration, or large-scale robotic inspection services.

How they like to work

FADA-CATEC overwhelmingly operates as a technical partner (22 of 24 projects), contributing specialized aerial robotics expertise to large European consortia. With 350 unique partners across 30 countries, they are a well-connected hub rather than a closed-circle organization — they integrate easily into new consortia. Their two coordinator roles (RIB-AM and PILOTING) were in areas of deep competence, suggesting they lead when the topic closely matches their core strengths but are otherwise content to contribute as a specialist.

Exceptionally broad network of 350 unique consortium partners across 30 countries, indicating they are a well-established node in European robotics and aerospace research. Their partnerships span from major aeronautics JTIs (Clean Sky 2, SESAR) to digital innovation hubs and security projects.

What sets them apart

FADA-CATEC occupies a rare niche at the intersection of aerial robotics, physical infrastructure inspection, and aerospace manufacturing — few European centres combine hands-on drone operations with advanced composite manufacturing research. Their location in Seville places them within Spain's aerospace cluster (Airbus has major facilities nearby), giving them direct access to industrial test cases. For consortium builders, they bring both the robotic systems expertise and the manufacturing know-how to take inspection drones from lab prototypes to industrially viable products.

Highlights from their portfolio

• PILOTING
  Their largest project (EUR 1.26M) and a coordinator role — a flagship effort to bring robotic inspection platforms from prototype to operational deployment using AI and data management.
• AEROARMS
  Major aerial manipulation project (EUR 693K) developing multi-arm aerial robots for industrial inspection — a signature capability that defined their early reputation.
• RIB-AM
  Coordinator role in Clean Sky 2, researching additive manufacturing for aircraft leading-edge structures — demonstrates their aerospace manufacturing depth beyond pure robotics.