ENAIRE-UPM Chair 2026: opportunities for the aeronautical sector

Key data

Technology companies in the aeronautical sector have a new avenue of access to applied research projects financed by ENAIRE. The Resolution of March 3, 2026 publishes the agreement between ENAIRE and the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid for the creation of the ENAIRE Chair, focused on the development of air traffic management (ATM) services and systems.

This type of company-university chairs are not just an academic agreement: they are structures that channel financing, generate applied R&D projects and produce specialized talent with direct connection to the sector. For companies in the Spanish aeronautical ecosystem, this translates into collaboration opportunities, access to research and recruitment of highly specialized profiles.

What does this regulation establish?

The agreement creates the ENAIRE Chair under the name "Development of air traffic management services and systems". It is supported by the Law 40/2015, on the Legal Regime of the Public Sector, which is the legal framework that regulates agreements between public entities and academic institutions in Spain.

The main functions that this chair channels are:

• Financing of research and development activities in the ATM field
• Applied research projects on air traffic management systems
• Specialized training for students and researchers
• Generation of knowledge aligned with European standards of the SESAR program (Single European Sky ATM Research)

ENAIRE, as a public business entity responsible for air navigation in Spain, assumes economic and management commitments derived from the agreement. UPM, for its part, provides academic infrastructure and research human capital.

Economic and operational impact

The regulatory summary does not detail the specific economic amount of the agreement. What it does establish is that ENAIRE assumes economic and management commitments to sustain the chair, which implies an investment in applied R&D to the ATM sector.

For the aeronautical business ecosystem, the impact translates into three dimensions:

• Collaboration opportunities: Technology companies in the sector can access joint research projects with UPM and ENAIRE, reducing their own R&D costs.
• Access to specialized talent: The chair trains researchers and aeronautical engineering students with direct knowledge in ATM systems, facilitating the recruitment of profiles that are difficult to find in the market.
• Alignment with SESAR: Research lines are aligned with European single sky standards, which can facilitate access to tenders and European projects for companies participating in the chair's ecosystem.

The direct impact on most Spanish companies is limited. This regulation is relevant mainly for the Spanish aeronautical innovation ecosystem, not for the entire business fabric.

Who does it affect?

• Technology companies in the aeronautical sector: Providers of ATM systems, navigation software, aeronautical communications and airspace management technology.
• Researchers and R&D groups: University teams and research centers working on air navigation systems and eligible for projects financed by ENAIRE.
• Aeronautical engineering students: Mainly from UPM, with access to specialized training and projects with real application in ENAIRE.
• ENAIRE: Assumes economic and management commitments, and gains access to applied research and specialized talent.
• Air navigation sector in Spain: The entire ecosystem benefits from the generation of knowledge aligned with European SESAR standards.

Practical example

A Spanish software company specialized in communication systems for air traffic control wants to develop a solution compatible with SESAR standards to access European tenders. Until now, it had to fully finance its own R&D process or seek academic partners individually.

With the ENAIRE Chair active at UPM, this company can explore collaboration avenues with the chair's research groups, co-develop solutions with academic support and access to financing channeled by ENAIRE, and recruit engineers trained directly in the context of ATM systems that ENAIRE operates. The result: reduction of its own R&D costs and greater alignment with the standards required by European tenders under the SESAR program.

What should companies do now?

1. Identify if your company operates in the ATM ecosystem: If you develop technology, software or services related to air traffic management, navigation or aeronautical communications, this chair is directly relevant to you.
2. Contact UPM to explore collaborations: Company-university chairs have collaboration mechanisms with third parties. Contact the Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Aeronáuticos y del Espacio at UPM to learn about active research lines.
3. Review your R&D strategy in relation to SESAR: If your company aspires to European projects for modernizing airspace, aligning with this chair's research lines can be a competitive advantage.
4. Monitor calls derived from the agreement: Chair agreements usually generate project calls, scholarships and research contracts. Stay alert to publications from UPM and ENAIRE.
5. Evaluate talent recruitment opportunities: Students and researchers trained in the chair are profiles specialized in ATM. Consider establishing contact with the chair for future selection processes.