Spanish Ministry of Defence to build €55 million drone research site in Galicia

GALICIA in the north west of Spain is about to get a new facility worth €55 million dedicated to drone research and overseen by the Spanish Ministry of Defence and the regional Galician government.

The facility will be based on an aerodrome which was developed by the Nazis in 1943. The Rozas aerodrome is located in Castro de Rei and was chosen by the Nazis because of its strategic placement close to the coast.

The new development will put Galicia “at the cutting edge” of drone research, according to the president of the regional government in Galicia, Alberto Nunez Feijoo, who spoke to La Voz de Galicia.

On Wednesday October 14 the aerodrome became known as The Rozas Aero Transport Centre and it will be a facility for companies worldwide to research drones for commercial purposes.

Spanish media reports indicate that although the base is for commercial and civilian drones, a number of the companies bidding to rent the space also have military interests.

The Galician president had to deny reports in September that the aerodrome had been used to test military drones from Israel. As its funding comes in part from the regional government of Galicia the facility cannot be used solely for military purposes.