In a groundbreaking development for the European drone ecosystem, ANRA Technologies, a GUTMA member, has become the first company officially certified by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) as a U-space Service Provider (USSP). This milestone, announced during the Airspace World event in Lisbon on May 14, 2025, not only marks a historic first in the European airspace modernization journey but also reinforces the practical implementation of the European Commission’s Drone Strategy 2.0.
For GUTMA and its global community of digital aviation stakeholders, this certification represents a pivotal achievement: one that brings to life the vision of a harmonized, safe, and scalable U-space framework enabling advanced and routine drone operations across borders.
Airspace World, Lisbon, May 14, ceremony where ANRA was awarded (left to right)
- Patricia Garcia Pastor, ANRA USSP Certification Project Manager
- Amit Ganjoo. ANRA Founder/CEO
- Athanassios (Sakis) Tziolas, EASA Air Traffic and Airspace Management Head of Department
- Maria Algar Ruiz, EASA Drone Programme Manager
- Stephane Vaubourg, EASA Drones Project Manager U-space
A CERTIFICATION ANCHORED IN OPERATIONAL MATURITY
ANRA’s certification is the first to be awarded under EASA’s certification framework, a process designed to unify and streamline the recognition of U-space Service Providers across all EU Member States. The central framework creates a single set of high standards that certified providers must meet, reducing regulatory fragmentation and offering clarity to both industry players and national authorities.
The road to certification was neither short nor simple. ANRA underwent a two-year evaluation that included 9 audits, 27 documents, 15 major meetings, and assessments of safety, cybersecurity, service assurance, and operational readiness. Far beyond a technical check, the certification reflects ANRA’s comprehensive commitment to aviation-grade performance and governance, including:
- Safety support assessments
- Cyber resilience strategies
- Incident and business continuity planning
- Data protection and information security
- Software assurance and lifecycle documentation
- Robust service oversight mechanisms
“This certification is a landmark milestone for our company and for the European drone ecosystem,” said Amit Ganjoo, CEO of ANRA Technologies. “We have invested significantly in maturing our European operations. This process has made us not just a stronger technology company, but a stronger aviation organization.”
WHAT THE USSP CERTIFICATION ENABLES
With this certificate, ANRA is authorized to provide the four mandatory U-space services defined in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/664 within designated U-space airspaces:
- Network Identification Service – Provides real-time identification of drones to ensure accountability and traceability.
- Geo-awareness Service – Delivers relevant airspace and restriction information to drone operators.
- Flight Authorization Service – Grants digital permissions for drone operations, supporting dynamic and automated airspace management.
- Traffic Information Service – Shares real-time situational awareness about other airspace users, enhancing safety and coordination.
These services are crucial enablers for high-density, complex drone operations, including beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) missions and urban deployments, operations that are central to the future of logistics, inspection, emergency response, and more.
A CATALYST FOR SCALABLE AND INTEROPERABLE U-SPACE IMPLEMENTATION
The importance of this certification goes beyond ANRA itself. EASA’s USSP certification model, successfully tested through ANRA’s evaluation, now provides a repeatable and standardized approach for other providers to follow. This de-risks the path to compliance for future applicants and accelerates national and regional authorities’ ability to designate U-space airspaces with certified service providers in place.
“ANRA’s achievement of becoming the first certified U-space Service Provider demonstrates what is possible through rigorous compliance and technical maturity,” said Florian Guillermet, Executive Director of EASA. “It sets the benchmark for others and moves us closer to a safe, secure, and interoperable European U-space ecosystem.”
By demonstrating that digital airspace services can meet strict aviation safety and performance standards, ANRA’s certification helps transition U-space from policy to practice. It also shows that a technology-first company can evolve into an aviation-grade services provider when held to the right framework and supported by close collaboration with regulators.
COLLABORATION WITH NATIONAL AUTHORITIES: A KEY NEXT STEP
Now certified, ANRA is actively engaging with multiple national aviation authorities and air navigation service providers across Europe. These discussions will shape the rollout of operational U-space services in selected Member States, each of which must designate U-space airspaces where drone flights are contingent on service provision by a USSP.
Such public-private partnerships are crucial to the future of European airspace. The centralized certification sets a regulatory baseline, but local implementation, based on national risk profiles, geography, and operational needs—will bring U-space to life. ANRA’s readiness to deploy across borders, anchored in both technical capability and regulatory trust, makes it a natural partner in these initiatives.
ALIGNING WITH GUTMA’s MISSION
For GUTMA, ANRA’s achievement embodies many of the Association’s guiding principles: interoperability, safety, scalability, and public-private cooperation. It also supports the vision of globally harmonized digital airspace services that are vendor-neutral, standards-based, and designed for open ecosystems.
As U-space continues to evolve, the lessons from ANRA’s certification journey offer valuable insights into how digital service providers can align with aviation principles, how authorities can build trust without stifling innovation, and how certification itself can be a driver of operational excellence.
LOOKING AHEAD
ANRA’s certification is not an endpoint, it is a foundation, perhaps even a spark to ignite growth. With a growing portfolio of U-space and UTM deployments around the world, the company is uniquely positioned to help shape the next phase of drone integration across Europe and beyond.
For regulators, industry stakeholders, and GUTMA members alike, the message is clear: The U-space vision is real, achievable, and already underway. The success of ANRA’s certification confirms that we now have the tools, frameworks, and partnerships needed to build a future where drones operate safely at scale in shared airspace.
The journey continues, but the future has arrived.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Brent Klavon is the Chief Strategy Officer at ANRA Technologies, where he leads global strategy for advanced airspace and mission management solutions. He brings over 30 years of aviation and unmanned systems experience as a licensed multi engine commercial and drone pilot.
