LISBON, Portugal, May 14, 2025 — The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued the first U-space service provider (USSP) certificate for the provisions of U-space services, a milestone on the path to enabling harmonised, scalable services for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) – or drones – across Europe.
The U-space airspace is a geographical zone designated for UAS operations to take place with the support of U-space services. U-space offers this new set of services and procedures that rely on highly digitalised and automated functions and are designed to support safe, efficient, and secure access to the U-space airspace for large numbers of UAS. Central to this is the role of the USSP.
The certification of ANRA Technologies therefore marks a significant step forward in the implementation of the U-space across the European airspace and so contributes to achieving one of the European Union Drone Strategy 2.0 objectives. The certificate was presented to ANRA today at the Airspace World trade show in Lisbon.
“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.”
To achieve certification, ANRA underwent a comprehensive and rigorous evaluation process conducted in partnership with and by EASA over a period of almost two years. The process included detailed assessments of safety, cybersecurity, operational readiness, business continuity, U-space service provision, and compliance frameworks. The company aims to provide the four U-space mandatory services defined in Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/664 in the U-space airspaces that are being designated across Europe.
“This certification is a landmark milestone for our company and for the European drone ecosystem,” said Amit Ganjoo, Founder and CEO of ANRA Technologies. “We have invested significantly in maturing our European operations, and this process has made us not just a stronger technology company, but a stronger aviation organisation.”
While technology is a core component, the certification goes far beyond software capabilities. It covers areas such as safety support assessments, cyber resilience, incident management, data protection, information security assurance, software assurance, and service oversight, demonstrating ANRA’s complete readiness to safely deploy U-space services at scale.
This ANRA certification is set to accelerate the deployment of a harmonised U-space airspace. By establishing a repeatable certification model that has been applied and tested during the certification process, EASA has provided a clear regulatory pathway for other U-space service providers, thereby fostering consistency, safety, and interoperability across Member States. ANRA’s approval therefore serves as a blueprint for future applicants.
Background on USSP certification
The USSP certificate bestows the privilege of providing the four mandatory U-space services in the U-space airspace:
- network identification service,
- geo-awareness service,
- flight authorisation service, and
- traffic information service.
U-space airspace is a UAS geographical zone designated by Member States, where UAS operations are only allowed to take place with the support of U-space services.
U-space services rely on digital services and automation of functions designed to support safe, secure, and efficient access to the U-space airspace for large numbers of UAS.
The main objectives of the implementation of U-space in Europe are:
- to enable fair and efficient sharing and use of the airspace,
- to enable dense and safe UAS operations,
- to enable complex and long-distance UAS operations beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS),
- to enable operations in urban environments,
- to ensure safe separation between manned aircraft and UAS, and
- to ensure safe flights and operations of UAS in the airspace.
