Capilla also highlighted the strategic importance of the unmanned vehicle sector, noting that it “is evolving at a breathtaking pace and has key importance for both society and industry. From UPV, we will always provide maximum support to this type of company.”
During the event, the Rector recalled UPV’s support throughout all stages of the company’s creation, from project definition and feasibility analysis to the search for external investors, who have already committed to the initiative.
Valyra Aerospace focuses on vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft, optimized for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, as well as logistical support in port environments. Its applications include naval operations, border control, anti-drug trafficking efforts, maritime rescue and, in the civil sector, monitoring of energy infrastructures and maritime logistics. The company has been recognized as one of the 10 startups set to shape the future of security and defense in Spain by Escudo Digital magazine.
As a UPV spin-off, Valyra is backed by leading university researchers, including professors Sergio García-Nieto Rodríguez, from the Institute for Automatic Control and Industrial Informatics (ai2-UPV), and Luis Miguel García-Cuevas González, from the CMT - Clean Mobility & Thermofluids Research Institute. They are joined by other partners, José Domingo Cerdán Torres, Joan Albert Such García and Mario Sepúlveda Sánchez, who have contributed to the development and consolidation of the company.
The recognition event reinforces UPV’s commitment to knowledge transfer and the creation of innovative companies, strengthening Valencia’s position as a hub for technology and entrepreneurship.