Design, create and teach how to fly the ‘Aracnocóptero’
09 Feb 2015
This company was born in 2008 by Carlos Bernabeu as Arbórea and was refounded by him, Iberdrola and the CDTI in 2013 with his new name.
Carlos Bernabeu, apart from being the majority shareholder, president and director of Arbórea Intellbird, was the main promoter of this company together with his work team, which today focuses its activity on its Remotely Piloted Aerial System, SARP, called Arachnocóptero.
Arbórea was the name of the initial company, founded in 2008. This name was taken from a type of frog, known as the San Antonio frog.
To the original name, they added Intellbird in 2013, when they dedicated themselves entirely to Remotely Piloted Aerial Systems. This second phase occurred when Iberdrola and the Spanish State, through the Center for Industrial Technological Development, CDTI, became part of this company as partners. Something that is not usually usual on the part of the latter body, since the CDTI usually participates with subsidies but not as a direct partner, as is the case here.
But before these two names, Carlos Bernabeu had already had a 15 or 16-year track record, especially in environmental studies and environmental management of innovative projects. One of these projects involved the control of invasive urban birds, which was carried out using different systems. At one point they found themselves in a “bottleneck situation”, as they had managed to reduce the population of the invasive bird to 20%. But there were still nests in inaccessible places because they were buildings in ruins.
Carlos Bernabeu came up with the idea of developing a system to carry grain treated with an inhibitory substance, to reduce the laying of pigeons, but it would have to be thrown through the holes in the roofs of these ruined buildings. Bernabeu explains that “the key was to be able to lift the grain into the air and introduce it into these places.” This was the reason that prompted this entrepreneur to look for some kind of aircraft to carry out this task, then he realized that there was nothing, only military systems.
It was a matter of chance. These were the beginnings of Arbórea.
It was 2008, when Carlos Bernabeu assembled a multidisciplinary team that included army professionals. The work resulted in the first prototype of a multirotor manufactured on a titanium chassis in 2009, to transport treated grain and control these invasive species.
Higher profits
When this system began to operate, they realised that there were “potentially greater uses”, says Bernabeu. One of these functions to which their aircraft could be applied would be directed towards the wind sector. People in this field proposed to them to design a specific system to inspect blades. Since then they have specialised in this world.
Now, with the help of Iberdrola, the doors have been opened to greater technical information. Apart from capital, this company has provided them with added value, which has allowed them to have “the most sophisticated and efficient inspection system for wind turbine blades in the world”, says Carlos Bernabeu. This company is expanding, and will soon incorporate more manpower to its staff, made up of nine technicians, among whom are engineers from different areas with enormous specialisation.
Its range of action is so wide that it currently requires a multi-functional staff. This team manufactures the entire Arachnocóptero system piece by piece. First they design it taking into account the function for which it will be applied and then they manufacture it with carbon fibre and titanium. They also program and develop the associated software.
Specifically, the complete system is an aircraft with sensors and analysis software. They also work training civil pilots and collaborate closely with the national school of military pilots in Salamanca. This close relationship with the military has led them to create a kind of symbiosis, with which both they and the army benefit from this relationship.
At the University of Salamanca’s Science Park in Villamayor they carry out these practical training sessions with Arachnocopters that they themselves manufactured for this task. They have specific arachnocopters for the inspection of power lines and have systems applicable to topography. They provide the arachnocopters and the systems, but they also offer services in any area, but more frequently in precision agriculture and industrial installations.
In the area of agriculture, they have a system applicable to vineyards that are valued for their high quality.
Source: El Norte de Castilla
