VANTUS presents at the Tablada Trajanus Barracks, the new aircraft with which it will compete in the Air Cargo Challenge 2026

The University of Seville team showcases the technological advances of its new prototype and achieves an international milestone by becoming the first university team in the world certified with the ISO 9001 standard

Vantus AeroDesign Team, the aeronautical design and manufacturing team of the University of Seville, has presented its new aircraft prototype, Trajanus, at the Tablada Air Barracks, headquarters of the Air Force and Space in Seville, an enclave of special relevance for the history of Spanish aeronautics.

This new prototype will be responsible for representing the University of Seville, the city and Andalusia in the Air Cargo Challenge 2026, the most prestigious international university aeronautics competition, in which nearly 40 teams from universities around the world will participate.

The event was attended by representatives from the University of Seville, the Andalusian Regional Government, and the Air Force and Space Force, reflecting institutional support for a project that, in just four years, has established itself as a benchmark initiative in the university field of aeronautical design.

Representing the University of Seville were the Vice-Rector for Students and University Life, María del Carmen Gallardo Cruz; the President of the Social Council, Mercedes León Lozano; the Vice-Rector for Innovation, Knowledge Transfer and Entrepreneurship and Co-Director of the Plus Ultra Chair, Ángel Luis Trigo García; and the Deputy Director of Students at the Higher Technical School of Engineering, Carmen Hernández Mancera. Also participating from the VANTUS AeroDesign Team were its Director, Paula Terrón González; its Technical Director, Gonzalo Collado Mateos; and its Treasurer, Juan Antonio Díaz Batista.

Representing the Regional Government of Andalusia were Daniel Escacena Ortega, Secretary General for Research and Innovation of the Ministry of Universities, Research and Innovation, and María Nieves Valenzuela Romero, Director General for the Promotion of Innovation of the same ministry. The Air Force and Space was represented by Brigadier General Rafael Fernández-Shaw Domínguez, Deputy Director of Education for the Air Force and Space and Co-Director of the Plus Ultra Chair.

An aircraft resulting from four years of technological evolution

During the presentation, the team outlined VANTUS's evolution since its creation in 2022 at the Higher Technical School of Engineering of the University of Seville and highlighted its main achievements in national and international competitions. These included the award for Best Technical Report at XtraChallenge 2023, recognition for Best Spanish Debut in the history of Air Cargo Challenge 2024, and the national championship title at XtraChallenge 2025, a competition in which it also won first and second prize for best technical reports.

Trajanus incorporates the knowledge acquired in previous seasons and represents a significant advance in the aircraft's design, manufacturing, and validation processes. Among the main innovations is the implementation of a new composite manufacturing technique that reduces weight, improves airfoil accuracy, enhances surface quality, and strengthens the aircraft's structural integrity.

The prototype incorporates a V-tail configuration and improvements developed from experimental tests conducted in the wind tunnel of the Higher Technical School of Engineering, subsequently validated with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. The team is also continuing to develop autonomous flight systems, proprietary telemetry platforms, and digital tools for analyzing flight data.

ISO 9001 certification, a step towards aeronautical industry standards

One of the most significant milestones of the season has been obtaining ISO 9001 certification for quality management systems, making VANTUS AeroDesign Team the first university team in the world to achieve this accreditation. This certification allows the team to implement management procedures typical of the aeronautical industry, focused on continuous improvement, risk identification and mitigation, and knowledge transfer between the different generations of students who make up the team.

The presentation of Trajanus at the Tablada Barracks is also part of the existing collaboration between the University of Seville and the Air and Space Force through initiatives such as the recently inaugurated Plus Ultra Chair, which promote the connection between the academic and professional fields.

Currently, the VANTUS AeroDesign Team comprises over 60 students from various degree programs at the University of Seville, including engineering, mathematics, physics, law, business administration, and communication and marketing. Its multidisciplinary nature allows students to develop a real-world engineering project, applying technical knowledge in a demanding environment and acquiring skills specific to the aerospace sector.

With participation in the Air Cargo Challenge 2026 as the next objective, VANTUS faces a new international challenge with an aircraft that reflects the technological maturity achieved by a student project that continues to advance in areas such as autonomous flight, advanced aerodynamics and new manufacturing techniques in composite materials.