The President of the Madrid Region, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, has announced a new funding scheme to support the development and use of drones by businesses. She also revealed that the regional government is finalizing a one-stop drone service to centralize municipal procedures for professional and commercial drone operators, while deploying a regional drone network to support emergency services, logistics operations, parcel delivery, and future air taxi services.
Ayuso made the announcement during the inauguration of the Telefónica Drone Center, Telefónica’s National Supervision and Operations Center, where she observed the operation of remotely piloted drones. She explained that, as part of the Community of Madrid’s Drone Strategy, the regional government will also establish a dedicated drone testing facility for advanced sector research, as well as a specialized training center at the La Cantueña facilities in Fuenlabrada. The center will focus on training young drone pilots, mechanics, and developers.
“The Madrid Region stands for innovation and the future. It is a region of great opportunities, research, and cutting-edge technology for our businesses and, especially, for our public services,” Díaz Ayuso said. She noted that the regional government has already incorporated drone technology to strengthen public services. Drones are currently used by the SUMMA 112 emergency medical service to provide real-time aerial imagery that supports faster decision-making during emergencies. They are also deployed in forest environments, where artificial intelligence enables the early detection of potential wildfires.
The regional strategy also includes initiatives such as ALE-HOP, which enables the urgent transport of medicines, blood, and medical supplies between hospitals, and the Digital Entrepreneurship Network (RETECH), which supports projects including the Tres Cantos aerospace hub. This hub focuses on air mobility solutions, satellite technologies, and communications, while also offering acceleration programs for startups operating in the sector.
€1.45 Million Funding Scheme for Civil Drone Applications
The new funding scheme announced by President Díaz Ayuso allocates €1.45 million to promote the civil use of drones and support the sector’s growth. Applications will remain open until 31 July and are available to SMEs and mid-sized companies (midcaps) headquartered or operating in the Madrid Region.
The grants will cover productive investments of up to €350,000, consultancy and certification services of up to €150,000, and participation in industry events of up to €100,000.
For SMEs, the scheme will finance between 10% and 35% of productive investments and 50% of eligible consultancy, certification, and event-related expenses. Mid-sized companies may also apply for investment grants, covering between 10% and 15% of eligible investment costs.
Madrid Leads Spain’s Drone Industry
The Madrid Region is Spain’s leading region for the drone industry, hosting 30% of the country’s drone manufacturing and assembly companies. It also ranks second among Spain’s autonomous regions in the number of registered professional drone operators, with approximately 3,200 active operators out of a national total of 20,000.
In the field of training, the region is home to 31% of the organizations approved by the Spanish Aviation Safety Agency (AESA) and leads the country in the official certification of drone pilots and technicians. In addition, nearly half of the highest-rated drone startups in Spain choose Madrid as the base for their growth.