Spain: commercial higher-airspace (HAO/HAPS) UAS operations in the specific category need an AESA operational authorisation; SAIL IV needs an EASA design verification, SAIL V–VI an EASA type certificate

In plain language

Under AESA guide UAS-OPR-P01-GU14 Ed.01, section 3.1.1 (Spanish operators, airspace under Spanish responsibility), commercial higher-airspace operations (HAO, generally above FL550) with unmanned high-altitude platforms (HAPS) that cannot be considered experimental under Regulation (EU) 2019/945 and fall within the specific category require an operational authorisation issued by AESA (DUAS). The application must be accompanied by the documentation listed in sections 4.2.1–4.2.2 of the guide: a locations file (.kmz or .kml) with the operational volumes and risk buffers, the compliance matrix (A4), the general Operations Manual with its Concept of Operations annex, and the declarations or justifications for ground-risk mitigations, containment robustness and the integrity of all applicable operational safety objectives. For operations at SAIL IV and above, the operator must, before applying, also have a safety management system following ICAO Annex 19 principles and the EASA design verification report or type certificate described below. For design, operations at SAIL IV require an EASA design verification report (DVR) for the aircraft, and operations at SAIL V and VI require an EASA type certificate (TC).

Requirement as structured

Under AESA guide UAS-OPR-P01-GU14 Ed.01, section 3.1.1 (Spanish operators, airspace under Spanish responsibility), commercial higher-airspace operations (HAO, generally above FL550) with unmanned high-altitude platforms (HAPS) that cannot be considered experimental under Regulation (EU) 2019/945 and fall within the specific category require an operational authorisation issued by AESA (DUAS). The application must be accompanied by the documentation listed in sections 4.2.1–4.2.2 of the guide: a locations file (.kmz or .kml) with the operational volumes and risk buffers, the compliance matrix (A4), the general Operations Manual with its Concept of Operations annex, and the declarations or justifications for ground-risk mitigations, containment robustness and the integrity of all applicable operational safety objectives. For operations at SAIL IV and above, the operator must, before applying, also have a safety management system following ICAO Annex 19 principles and the EASA design verification report or type certificate described below. For design, operations at SAIL IV require an EASA design verification report (DVR) for the aircraft, and operations at SAIL V and VI require an EASA type certificate (TC).

Original regulatory text

Las operaciones comerciales, que no puedan entenderse experimentales de acuerdo con lo definido en el Reglamento (UE) 2019/945, englobadas dentro de la categoría específica requerirán una autorización operacional emitida por AESA (DUAS) y presentarán la documentación indicada en el apartado 4.2. Con respecto a los requisitos de diseño, en las operaciones de SAIL IV se requerirá una verificación de diseño (DVR) de la aeronave emitida por EASA. Para operaciones de SAIL V y VI será necesario un certificado de tipo (TC) emitido por EASA.

Applies when

scope

Spanish UAS operators; commercial (non-experimental) HAO with HAPS UAS in the specific category, in airspace under Spanish responsibility

exclusions

Experimental operations (separate route: AESA operational authorisation, or Permit to Fly under Part 21 Subpart P with EASA flight conditions); unmanned free balloons without control/monitoring systems and rockets are outside the guide; operations entering other EASA States additionally need recognition under Art. 13 of Regulation (EU) 2019/947

legal force

AESA guidance on applying existing EU rules; not itself legislation

cross references

Regulation (EU) 2019/947 Art. 5 and Art. 13, Regulation (EU) 2019/945, UAS-OPR-P01-GU14 Ed.01 §4.2.1–4.2.2 Documentación que aportar junto con la solicitud de autorización