Spanish National Police. Synergies between Innovation and Internal Security Fund

The European R&D project 'Protecting euRopean public spaces against Emergent hoStile drone thrEats thRough an advanced multidimensional shield and cross-border intelligEnce' (PRESERVE) is co-funded by the European Commission under the Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme, under grant agreement No. 101168392. PRESERVE involves 22 organizations from 13 European countries, enabling a cross-border approach against organized crime and the misuse of drones.

PRESERVE will provide a multidimensional shield that will allow law enforcement authorities to address the previously unmanageable threat of weaponized recreational/consumer drone swarms fueled by open-source knowledge from non-state actors. It will enable prevention, early detection, and optimal operational response management against current and emerging drone technology threats, increasing citizen security in public spaces. To achieve this, PRESERVE will produce a palette of complementary solutions synthesized into four products: 'Swarm-based C-UAS Arsenal' (P1-SECURE), 'Online Drone Intelligence Engine' (P2-ODIN), the 'PRESERVE platform' (P3) as an end-to-end solution, and the 'PRESERVE Training Program' (P4).

Each product will consist of several modules designed to address the specific challenges that Law Enforcement Authorities face against the aforementioned threats. The development and demonstration of these modules will center around the following drivers in order to provide harmonized, effective, and concrete solutions.

The ultimate goal is to strengthen security in European public spaces against the proliferation of emerging drones.

The National Police (PN), the Police Air Unit (UAP), and the Information Technology and Telecommunications Unit are collaborating on defining user requirements, PRESERVE's Operational Procedures, and validating PRESERVE products in near-real environments oriented toward Pilot Use Cases (PUC). PN will lead PUC1 – Terrorist attack with a swarm of self-piloting drones at a major sporting event.

The Innovation Service of the Sub-Directorate General for Logistics and Innovation leads the team in coordinating the administrative and operational work of the National Police within the framework of its modernization and digital transformation.

As a national law enforcement agency our mission is clear: to transform cutting-edge technological innovation into real, effective operational capabilities that safeguard public freedom and citizen security against emerging aerial threats.

At the Spanish National Police, we bring our frontline operational expertise to ensure this "multidimensional shield" that is being developed in PRESERVE is fully optimized for law enforcement agencies (LEAs). We collaborate closely with key technical partners like ISDEFE and NOVADAYS to define core user requirements and design Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), ensuring that the technology aligns perfectly with legal frameworks and tactical realities on the ground.

The ultimate value that the Spanish National Police brings to the PRESERVE consortium is the ability to bridge the gap between laboratory development and highly demanding operational environments. We are directly responsible for leading Pilot Use Case 1 (PUC1), a critical operational deployment simulating a terrorist swarm attack with self-piloted drones at a major sports event. Testing the platform under such realistic, high-stakes conditions is essential to calibrating its effectiveness before full deployment. Through our active participation, the Spanish National Police not only reinforces domestic security but also contributes decisively to building a cross-border European intelligence framework, unifying the response of European LEAs against emerging threat types.