Madrid, 25 March 2022 (AESA)

Our colleague Juanjo Sola, head of the Aircraft Systems Division of the State Aviation Safety Agency (AESA) has been the winner of the "TALENTO: young Engineer of the Year" of the Official College of Aeronautical Engineers of Spain (COIAE). An award she shares with Sara Correyero, co-founder of ienai Space.

COIAE reports that among the twelve candidates presented, the selection committee has decided that the winners will be the collegiate Sara Correyero Plaza and Juan José Sola Bañasco for their relevant professional career.

Juan José Sola Bañasco has been an aeronautical engineer for ETSIA since 2009. He is currently the head of the “Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS/DRONES)” division at the State Aviation Safety Agency (AESA). In addition, he has a relevant international experience: since 2016 he has collaborated with JARUS and ICAO. JARUS (Joint Authorities for Rulemaking on Unmanned Systems) is a group of experts from national and regional aviation safety authorities whose objective is to recommend a single set of technical, safety and operational measures for the certification and safe integration of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) into airspace and aerodromes worldwide, with a current presence in 63 countries. He is also a member of the ICAO RPAS panel, member of the EASA U-Space working group and member of the EASA UAS Regulation Implementation Working Group.

Sara Correyero Plaza has been an aeronautical engineer for ETSIA since 2015 and a doctor from Carlos III University since 2020, and is passionate about space and science. She is currently COO and co-founder of ienai Space, a Spanish start-up created to develop and manufacture electricity in propulsion modules for nanosatellites, along with an optimisation mission. She is also president of Madrid Innovation and New Space Cluster.

Congratulations Juan José and Sara!