Seat negocia con Aggity fabricar drones en su planta de Martorell

Seat, a Volkswagen-owned company, is open to diversifying its business and has been approached by the government and Catalan Executive about entering the defense industry. This comes as the sector faces severe bottlenecks in fulfilling orders due to a high demand and limited available industrial capacity. One of Seat's proposals on the table is the Catalan technology group Aggity, which is forming a consortium of both civilian and military drones and is seeking a partner capable of manufacturing them in bulk.

Sources confirm that Seat has considered the project, which would involve production at its Martorell plant (Barcelona), as strategic, although it is still evaluating potential synergies between the automotive industry, accustomed to high-volume production, and the defense industry, which has smaller volumes and stringent barriers to entry such as homologations, permits, and safety controls.

Meanwhile, conversations are ongoing. The two companies met with the Ministry of Industry last week to propose accessing public funding through a Special Modernization Program (PEM) for Defense, which would have a dual (civil and military) character. Two consortia are being envisioned. The first, led by Aggity, combines the software and infrastructure needed for drone operations and includes Cargo Drone Solutions (a certified operator), Bluenest (responsible for vertiports), XRF (a NATO company providing command and control technology), and Aggity's software.

Seat would join a second consortium, providing its industrial capacity with a new line dedicated to drone manufacturing at its Martorell plant. There is a first order of 500 drones from the Ministry for the Ecological Transition for the fire season next year, though this is a verbal request that has not yet been turned into a public contract, sources note.

The 29N obstacle One of the main obstacles in Seat and Aggity's conversations with the Ministry of Industry to secure public funding for the project is the proximity of the general elections on November 29, as a change in power in Moncloa would bring new ministerial interlocutors. The portfolio led by Jordi Hereu has expressed interest in the project, but has indicated to the companies that the project must pass the filter of the Ministry of Defense, which receives numerous proposals of this type due to the surge in the sector.

Sources note that Aggity has held different meetings with the department led by Margarita Robles and that one of the questions it has been referred to the Catalan group is whether Seat's presence is exclusive. Additionally, sources point out that Aggity has been in conversations with Seat for several months and that it is with the company it wants to advance the proposal.

The project would open up a lucrative drone business for Seat and facilitate obtaining aeronautical certifications for the design, manufacture, and maintenance of these equipment. Besides Seat, the government also approached Ford to assess how much of its industrial capacity could be used for future military programs. However, the option of using Ford's facilities in Almussafes is now more complicated due to the agreement with the Chinese Geely.

For now, there is no confirmed project despite preliminary meetings that are of a technical nature and add to the numerous other conversations Seat maintains with companies in the sector. The Indian alternative If the project does not secure the necessary public funding in Spain, Aggity has another solid offer to advance its drone business.

This is a large Indian company, though the name and sector have not been disclosed. In this search for public funding, it is expected that this week there will be a meeting between Aggity and the Generalitat de Cataluña to discuss how to push the project forward. The sources stress that the project would be inviable without public funding due to the volume of investment needed to get it underway.

Dual drones for emergencies and attack The dual-purpose drone proposal from the consortium led by Aggity, together with Bluenest, Cargo Drone Solutions, and XRF, consists of a vertical takeoff and landing platform equipped with two rotors, designed to carry loads of up to 1,500 kilograms. These drones could be used for civilian applications such as transporting food and supplies to remote or difficult-to-reach areas during floods, natural disasters, or logistical emergencies.

They could also play a significant role in firefighting, facilitating the transport of material and support operations in complex areas. Beyond the civilian scope, the aircraft developed by the consortium could also be configured for military missions, including attack operations.