Spanish Police begin trialing autonomous aircraft
The Spanish National Police (CNP) have completed the maiden flight of its new EH216 autonomous aerial vehicle (AAV)
The flight, which initiated trial operations of the AAV, was conducted at the National Academy of Police in Avila during a public ceremony attended by Spanish Secretary of State for Security, Rafael Pérez.
According to the AAV’s manufacturer, Chinese aviation firm EHang, the CNP plans to use the AAV to tackle a range of emergency and public safety missions, such as ‘accessing contaminated areas with nuclear, radiological, bacteriological or chemical risks, landing in confined areas, aerial logistics, and other police services that may require agile and efficient aerial mobility’.
“The CNP is the first security institution in the European Union to operate an AAV,” said Pérez. “Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) constitute an alternative technological asset for multiple purposes, such as deployment in dangerous areas following a natural disaster or an accident, without endangering human lives. The lower operating costs of UAS and their constant new applications show great advantages over traditional aerial means.”
“The capability to operate the EH216 AAV from a remote command and control station, which may be hundreds of kilometers away, reflects the National Police’s commitment to fulfil its digital transformation objectives.”
The EHang EH216 is a capable of carrying payloads of up to 260kg, and can accommodate two passengers in its cabin with room for additional baggage. It is powered by powered by 16 electric motors and is capable of cruise speeds of 130km/h, at a maximum flight range of 35km, and a maximum flight duration of 30 minutes.
In September, a European consortium conducted a series of drone test flights in Austria as part of the GOF 2.0 Integrated Urban Airspace VLD initiative.