The Canary Islands aim to become Europe’s Aerospace Testing Centre
In just four years, the Canary Islands Aerospace Cluster has expanded from its original seven founding companies to a network of 23 firms. Its president, José Luis García, firmly believes the Archipelago has the ideal conditions to lead international aerospace testing.
“There is no place like the Canaries anywhere in Europe,” he insists, pointing to the favourable climate, vast maritime space to the south of the islands, and the benefits of the Canary Islands’ special tax regime (REF).
Building an aerospace ecosystem
The cluster was born as a business association not only of Canary Islands companies but also from mainland Spain. Unlike other aerospace clusters that grew out of existing ecosystems, this one was created to build such an ecosystem from scratch. “The idea is that by attracting key companies, we can bring in more players from the sector — and we are achieving that.”
This year, the cluster received the Best Public-Private Initiative Award at the Atlántico Hoy Awards, collected by General Coordinator Carmen Quesada.
From drones to flying cars
The cluster has already made its mark with milestones such as its participation in Expodrónica in Madrid, where it showcased a 300 m² stand of aerospace innovations, and the first Aerospace Congress of the Canary Islands, held in La Gomera, focusing on the rapid rise of drones.
Interest from multinationals has also grown. Globalvía, for instance, has created a division dedicated to new aerial mobility and is exploring bold projects. “They announced plans to launch an aerotaxi line between Maspalomas, Puerto Rico, Mogán, La Aldea, and Agaete,” García highlights.
Although such ventures still require approval from aviation authorities, García is confident: “This is unstoppable. Companies like Audi and Hyundai are already testing what will become their flying cars.”
Offshore rocket launch platforms
Looking further ahead, the cluster envisions the Canaries as a major European aerospace testing centre — potentially even serving as a base for offshore rocket launches.
“We’re talking about platforms similar to oil rigs, adapted to launch small rockets. They would leave from port, sail a thousand kilometres offshore, launch, and return,” García explains.
The connection between the islands and space is not new. He recalls how NASA established a tracking station in Maspalomas over 60 years ago, which hosted astronauts from missions such as Apollo 11 and Mercury.
Eyes on the future
With momentum building, the cluster is already preparing for the second Aerospace Congress of the Canary Islands, scheduled for later this year. Its mission is clear: “We want the Canary Islands to become Europe’s aerospace experimentation ground.”
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