SESAR JU - Canary Islands sign cooperation agreement to accelerate air traffic management innovation

Brussels, 4 March 2026 - The Gobierno de Canarias (Canary Islands Regional Government) and the SESAR Joint Undertaking (SESAR JU) have signed a memorandum of cooperation (MoC) to strengthen collaboration in research and innovation (R&I) for air traffic management (ATM). The agreement will explore strategic priorities and ways to accelerate innovation and help deliver Europe's vision for a smarter and more sustainable sky.

The agreement - the third such cooperation between SESAR JU and a European region - reflects the growing role of regional innovation ecosystems in shaping the Digital European Sky and supporting Europe's environmental and competitiveness ambitions. Guided by the European ATM Master Plan, this cooperation underpins Europe's ambition to become the most efficient and environmentally friendly sky to fly in the world.

The MoC also aligns with the Canary Islands Aerospace Strategy, which positions the archipelago as a global benchmark in aerospace research, technological development and experimental validation. The Canary Islands' geostrategic location, favourable climate, advanced airport infrastructure and growing R&I ecosystem make the region well suited to act as a testbed for innovative ATM solutions.

Under the agreement, cooperation will focus on:

• ATM operations and the integration of drone operations (U-space);
• Higher airspace operations (HAO) and high-altitude platform systems (HAPS);
• Development of infrastructure and sandboxes for uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) and HAPS testing;
• Integration of test centres to validate innovative operational concepts, including coordination between air traffic and space launches;
• Advanced communications, cybersecurity and ATM/U-space integration.

"This agreement demonstrates how regional capabilities can directly support the delivery of the Digital European Sky," said Andreas Boschen, Executive Director, SESAR Joint Undertaking. "By joining forces with the Government of the Canary Islands, we can accelerate the validation of next-generation ATM solutions and bring tangible benefits to Europe's aviation system."

"The aerospace sector is a strategic pillar for the diversification and sustainable development of the Canary Islands," said David Pérez-Dionis Chinea, Director of Organizational Coordination and Strategic Projects, Canary Islands Regional Government. "This cooperation strengthens our aerospace strategy and reinforces our ambition to become a leading hub for research, testing and innovation in unmanned and high-altitude operations."