The Science, Technology and Innovation Directorate of the Colombian Ministry of Defence (MDN) is working on enhancing skills and capacity building in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in order to attain industrial design capacity in the medium term for the different components involved in this kind of vehicle. One of the most pressing short-term needs identified is the acquisition of technology for its subsequent adaptation to the country’s needs through technology transfer strategies and processes.
In keeping with the strategic guidelines which have been set, Grupo In-Nova in conjunction with AERTEC Solutions have been chosen to develop a technology cooperation and transfer project through an offset agreement, which will be carried out in 2015. The work will cover the co-development, manufacture and transfer of two complete unmanned systems: the ground control system and the aerial platform, which includes the aircraft, the power plant and the guidance, navigation and control system (autopilot).
This activity has been envisaged to strengthen the country’s own capabilities in the field of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) through the transfer of knowledge (ToK) and the transfer of technology (ToT) connected with autonomous navigation systems and the aeronautics platform.
The project will be carried out at civil and military facilities in both Spain and Colombia thanks to the current collaboration agreement entered into by the Fundación In-Nova – a non-profit entity belonging to Grupo In-Nova – and the Spanish Ministry of Defence’s Secretariat of State for Defence.
Grupo In-Nova is a highly globalised organisation that specialises in promoting transfer of knowledge (ToK) and transfer of technology (ToT) projects in a variety of sectors, particularly the defence and security sector. The Group is comprised of several mutually complementary organisations and also has a foundation, the Fundación In-Nova, which plays a leading role in international cooperation projects and training activities through professorships and agreements with academic institutions, armed forces and ministries of defence.
AERTEC Solutions is an engineering and consultancy multinational specialising in airports, air transport, and the aerospace & defence industry. The company has carried out projects in 21 countries spread out over five continents. It has worked at over 70 international airports and is present in the world’s large aeronautical programmes, including the A350XWB, A400M, A320 and A330MRTT programmes, among others. It maintains offices in Spain, the United Kingdom, France, Portugal and Morocco and employs a team of over 400 professionals with expertise in aeronautics.
