Zaragoza, Spain – December 1, 2025 – Zaragoza today became the site of a new achievement in urban innovation, hosting Europe’s first large-scale demonstration flight of a high-capacity uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) for city-based emergencies. This demo event was the final step of the U-SAVE (Urban Supply Aerial Vehicles for Emergencies) project, an initiative developed as a direct result of one of EIT Urban Mobility’s innovation calls, showcasing the potential of advanced aerial logistics for safer, more sustainable cities.
The demonstration utilised the EHang EH216, a sophisticated electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, to simulate the rapid and efficient delivery of essential supplies within a complex urban environment. The flight successfully validated a novel aerial system designed to overcome the limitations of traditional transport in congested urban scenarios, leveraging advances in urban air mobility.
“We are immensely proud that Zaragoza is the first city in Europe to host a demonstration of this magnitude in an urban setting,” stated Natalia Chueca, Mayor of Zaragoza. “This project, supported by significant European innovation initiatives like EIT Urban Mobility, underscores our commitment to positioning Zaragoza as a reference point for new technologies that will, in the medium and long term, become a reality and improve the quality of life for our citizens.“
The demonstration marks the culmination of a year of intensive work, including prior validation flights in controlled environments at EHang’s UAM centre in Lleida-Alguaire and in Tartu, Estonia. The project has meticulously developed procedures, conducted rigorous testing, and crafted comprehensive technical documentation. A cloud-based platform developed by ANRA Technologies, the first company certified as a U-space Service Provider (USSP) by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), centralises the system for drone operators and uncrewed air traffic management.
The event also featured a high-level roundtable at Mobility City, with representatives from ALIA, EIT Urban Mobility, EHang, Zaragoza Firefighters, AERA, and Fundación Ibercaja, providing in-depth insights into the project’s objectives, challenges, and future implications. The U-SAVE project’s success in Zaragoza underscores EIT Urban Mobility’s role in driving innovation that makes urban mobility more sustainable, liveable, and resilient across Europe.
About the U-Save project
The U-SAVE project is led by ALIA (the Aragon Logistics Cluster) and AERA (the Aragon Aeronautics Cluster), in partnership with an international consortium comprising EHang, ANRA Technologies, Skycorps Technologies, and the Estonian Aviation Academy. Crucially, the project’s inception and development were made possible by support and funding from EIT Urban Mobility.
The project, which received substantial funding of €499,700 primarily from EIT Urban Mobility, is dedicated to enhancing safety and sustainability in emergency response. It focuses on efficiency, security, scalability, and carbon footprint reduction by deploying electric and hydrogen-powered aircraft. This integrated system aims to resolve accessibility and traffic congestion issues in large urban centres during emergencies like fires and floods.
