CATUAV

Lore & Background

CATUAV originated in 2003 as a UAV business line within Aeroplans Blaus S.L., a company focused on experimental and sport aviation equipment. During that period, surveillance UAV systems were developed under a strategic agreement with Proytecsa and Indra. In 2007, the UAV business line was spun off to create CATUAV, and in 2008 the company signed a strategic agreement with AURENSIS, a Telespazio/Finmeccanica company. Since then, CATUAV has performed more than 100 commercial missions in the civil market.

The company has developed several UAV platforms: the Atmos series (mini-UAV, under 2 kg, electric, used for mapping), the Furos (medium-range, gasoline engine, six-hour flight, over 400 km range, under 11 kg), the Argos (evolution of Furos, under 12 kg, up to 14 hours endurance, fuel engine, foldable wings), and the Mineos (versatile mini-UAV, silent electric propulsion, foldable). CATUAV also developed its own telemetry data link, a towable ground control station, and mission planning software. It operates third-party products including the Falcon 8 blades multirotor, Thermoteknix thermal camera, and EnsoMosaic software.

Services offered include orthophotos (with resolutions from 5 cm to 2 m/pixel, covering up to 1000 hectares per flight), digital elevation models (DTM and DSM), non-metric oblique aerial images, and atmospheric data collection. Notable missions include flights over Lorca, Spain, in May 2011 after an earthquake, and participation in the SAFEDEM project of the ESA for demining in Bosnia.

Reader's Guide

CATUAV's significance lies in its early and sustained development of UAV technologies for civil applications in Europe, beginning with a prototype in 2003 and formal incorporation in 2007. The company's platforms—ranging from the lightweight Atmos mini-UAV to the long-endurance Argos—demonstrate a progression in capability, with the Argos achieving up to 14 hours of flight. CATUAV's role in the Lorca earthquake response, where it provided high-resolution orthophotos 38 hours after the disaster, marks the first known use of a mini-UAV in a European civil emergency, highlighting the practical value of UAVs for disaster assessment. The company's participation in the ESA's SAFEDEM project for landmine detection further underscores its application in humanitarian and environmental contexts. CATUAV's development of proprietary telemetry, ground control stations, and mission software, along with its integration of third-party sensors and software, positions it as a vertically integrated service provider. Its awards, including the Galileo Masters European GNSS Agency special topic prize in 2011, reflect recognition of its innovations in UAV safety and navigation systems.

Did You Know?

• CATUAV's first UAV prototype was built in 2003 as a business line within Aeroplans Blaus S.L.
• The Argos UAV can fly for up to 14 hours and has foldable wings that can be assembled in less than five minutes.
• CATUAV has its own telemetry protocol and can control UAVs within a 15 km radius via radio frequency link.