TECNALIA FOUNDATION Research &
Innovation

Web: www.tecnalia.com

Address: Basque Country

Contact us:

Joseba Lasa(joseba.lasa@tecnalia.com)
Begoña Canflanca(begona.canflanca@tecnalia.com)

Who we are

TECNALIA is the largest applied research and technological development center in Spain, a benchmark in Europe and a member of the Basque Research and Technology Alliance. We collaborate with companies and institutions to improve their competitiveness, people’s quality of life and achieve sustainable growth. We do this thanks to people who are passionate about technology and committed to building a better society.

Our main areas of action are: Smart Manufacturing, Digital Transformation, Energy Transition, Sustainable Mobility, Personalized Health and Urban Ecosystem.

OUR MISSION: To transform technological research into prosperity.

OUR VISION: To be agents of transformation of companies and society in order to adapt to the challenges of a continuously evolving future.

OUR PURPOSE: to build a better world through technological research and innovation.

Main lines of research

  • Dynamic simulation and high-level aircraft dynamic control algorithms: Involves the creation of computer simulations and advanced aircraft dynamics control algorithms. Development of advanced control of novel drone architectures.
    • Aircraft-level plant modeling for the development of distributed electric propulsion architectures.
    • Optimization of the hybrid control for the different flight phases.
  • Development and implementation of algorithms and control software in embedded platforms: Focuses on designing software and integrating it into embedded platforms for efficient operation.
  • Structural design and calculations/multiphysics simulation (structure, CFD, noise, thermal): This encompasses the design of aircraft structures and the performance of simulations that take into account multiple physical phenomena, such as structure analysis, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), noise and thermal effects.
  • Conceptualization, design and development of innovative flight architectures: From the conceptualization of new flight ideas, and the development, testing and validation of these innovative aircraft architectures to the proof-of-concept stage. Innovative Air Mobility.
  • Experience in obtaining permit to fly of unmanned aircraft up to specific category with aircraft of less than 1 ton.
  • Development of power and control electronic hardware oriented to certification. Scalable, reconfigurable and high computational capacity aeronautical hardware platforms.
    • Control technologies for high voltage power management and distribution.
    • Increased power density in motors and inverters.
    • New motor topologies (Halbach, multiphase,…).
    • Use of WBG (SiC/GaN).
    • High energy density batteries >300Wh/kg and 10C power.
    • Distributed batteries
  • Development of autonomous drone guidance and localization systems (optical tracking, simulation, virtual and augmented reality, photogrammetry, computer vision on board, ultrawideband, motion capture).
  • IoT and information systems interoperability. DDS Technology: -Collaboration between autonomous and/or manned vehicles,
  • Decentralized identity technologies for collaborative autonomous vehicles.
  • Cybersecurity technologies for V2X drones and cryptographic technologies for password custody.
  • Fault injection on autonomous vehicles and aeronautical components.
  • Hydrogen hybridization.
    • FC/Battery selection and integration – adaptation with electric/hybrid architectures
    • Development of critical components (H2 storage tanks; control units for power/energy management).
    • FC/battery control and Power System
    • Testing of HF and/or batteries and electrical systems
    • On-board H2 generation: reforming and electrolysis
  • Optimized, multifunctional, sustainable aerostructures with high production rates.
    • Parametric design & eco-design for structural optimization. Bio-inspired structures.
    • Development and adoption of sustainable materials (In-situ polymerization of ε-Caprolactam: T-RTM of PA6; High performance thermoplastic composites, Competitive multi-material and hybrid composite-plastic solutions, Recycled carbon fiber, Bio-based composites, etc).
    • Development of multifunctional materials: CNT Buckypapers, bio-based coatings, sol-gel coatings, encapsulation of active substances, Nano-microtexturized, plasma functionalization, electrodeposition and electroless plating, PVD coatings and thermal spraying.
    • Functional printing / Printed electronics
    • Efficient and high-speed composite (thermoplastic and thermoset) OoA manufacturing processes: AFP, Rapid Flat Wrapping, Press Forming, RTM (thermoset and thermoplastic), LRI, Automated Preforming, etc.; Joining processes: Welding, adhesives, multi-material joining;
    • Metallic and continuous fiber additive manufacturing
    • Multifunctional composite structures: photovoltaic integration, structural batteries, avionics housings and electrical cabinets, embedded antennas, anti-icing systems, lightening of PEM fuel cells (bipolar plates and H2 tanks).

Main R&D&I projects

  • ChainBUS (2018)

    Project developed for AIRBUS DEFENSA. Design and development of a decentralized identity management blockchain platform for autonomous vehicles.

  • DRONE FS (2015-2017)

    Self-protected FileSystem for Drones and equipment with confidential information. MINECO – MINISTRY OF ECONOMY AND COMPETITIVENESS. COLLABORATION CHALLENGES. The main objective of the DRONE-FS project is the development of a computerized tool for self-protection of
    data

  • AFarCloud (Aggregate Farming in the Cloud. (H2020-JTI-ECSEL-2017)

    Development of a digital platform for the collaboration of cyber-physical systems (drones, semi-autonomous tractors, sensor networks) with application to the field of smart farming.

  • USpace4UAM. U-space for Urban Air Mobility. 2021-2023. SESAR

    Flight tests of an air cab prototype at ATLAS (Jaén, Spain), within a specific category. Integration and testing of Tecnalia’s air cab prototype in U-space and integration of other partners’ U-space hardware on board.

  • AMU-LED. Air Mobility Urban – Large Experimental Demonstrations. 2021-2023. SESAR

    Experimental remotely operated VLOS flights of an air cab prototype at CIAR airfield (Lugo, Spain). Improving flight control to increase accuracy and robustness and obtaining flight clearance by performing SORA risk analysis.

  • TINDAiR. Tactical Instrumental Deconfliction And in flight Resolution. 2021-2023. SESAR

    Flight tests with an air cab prototype, aimed at validating tactical deconflictions developments at the Esperce airfield, near Toulouse (France), obtaining the required Spanish and French permits.

  • CODISAVA. Advanced distributed control for air transport safety and energy efficiency. ELKARTEK 2018-2019 and 2020-2021.

    The projects have been aimed at research in advanced distributed control for the safety and energy efficiency of air transport, for which several aerial platforms have been developed at scale, with disruptive architectures, for the validation of Distributed Electric Propulsion control algorithms in flight conditions.

  • FORECASTER

    Automatic evaluation of building damage by means of photogrammetry for optimization of periodic maintenance (Hazitek 2020-2021. Basque Government). Drone control app for damage geo-annotation and photogrammetry

Awards and recognitions

  • XXV edition of the ENAIRE Foundation Awards

    1st Prize for Innovation in the DroneS Sector
  • 2019 CITY AWARDS. 1st Edition. OPEN HOUSE MADRID.

    Best mobility proposal

Services offered

  • Research and development of on-board systems
  • Development of distributed electric propulsion control systems.
  • Systems modeling. Design based on HiL, SiL and MiL models and test systems.
  • Validation and testing of bench and in-flight systems (indoor and outdoor).
  • Development of flexible and automated manufacturing and assembly solutions.
  • Development of mutifunctional and mutimaterial components.
  • Construction and validation of systems and aircraft prototypes, oriented to different applications (sustainable mobility, energy, infrastructure inspection and maintenance, aerial robotics, logistics, etc).
  • Blockchain Industrial Laboratory, has all the necessary resources to deploy and show the result of the developments made with the main Blockchain platforms.
  • Industrial Cyber-Security and Safety Laboratory:
    • Laboratory equipped to perform testing, certifications and qualification (professional examination) of Cybersecurity & safety products in the ICT industry. The laboratory has all the necessary resources for training, deployment and demonstration of Cybersecurity in industrial environments, such as ECU communications, V2V & V2I, smart grids, critical infrastructures or transportation.
    • SABOTAGE: fault injection platform for safety-critical environments
  • 450 cubic meter drone cage (Tecnalia-Álava).
    • Motion Capture volume of 220 cubic meters.
    • Combination of optical tracking system for MotionCapture, with a virtual reality tracking system.
    • Visualization with wireless immersive VR glasses, haptic systems, forcefeedback, …
  • Innovative Air Mobility Lab (Tecnalia-Aduna, Guipúzcoa). Laboratory for the validation of innovative air mobility systems:
    • Interior space for VTOL aircraft flights. Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW) up to 1 ton and 10 meters altitude. Equipped with reversible AC/DC power supplies up to 800 V to allow captive flights of the aircraft (with power requirements up to 165 kW). The sources can be used as an energy storage system, but also as a battery emulator.
    • Flying Robots Lab. OptiTrack system of 30 cameras. For accurate tracking and monitoring of aircraft/drone movement in indoor conditions within a 20x20x10 m space.
    • WindShape programmable wind profiler. Formed by 8×8 modules (1.94 m x 1.94 m). The largest in Spain and the second largest in Europe. It is used to test adverse weather conditions indoors and in a safe environment.
    • Test bench for propulsion systems (motor + driver + propeller). Suitable for propellers up to 3 m diameter, torques up to 300 Nm and forces up to 3 kN.
    • Linear counterload bench (max. 50 kN load, 150 mm stroke, speed 45 mm/s). Includes the ability to measure energy consumption and efficiency.
    • 6 kW (up to 50 Nm, 2000 rpm) rotary counterload test stand.
    • Real-time virtual rapid prototyping platform for DSpace, HiL and MiL models.
  • Different multicopter and experimental aerial platforms to flight test systems, control algorithms and component developments.