Spain’s €51m Pegasus helicopters grounded: Questions raised over traffic fines

Spain’s blue and yellow Pegasus traffic surveillance helicopters have reportedly stopped flying from three bases after the company contracted to operate them entered preliminary insolvency proceedings.

Eliance, the private operator awarded a contract worth more than €51 million, has reportedly informed its workforce of around 230 employees that it is taking steps to protect the business and try to maintain operations.

According to the CCOO trade union, helicopters based in Malaga, Seville and Santiago de Compostela have stopped flying, leaving large areas without their usual aerial traffic surveillance. The union has raised concerns with Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska about the future of the service. Many critics are expressing satisfaction as they have always claimed the helicopters were used for collecting fines rather than improving road safety.

Why are Spain’s traffic helicopters grounded?

Eliance won the contract following a contract award process that initially struggled to attract a bidder. The agreement covered the operation and modernisation of the DGT’s aircraft, with the intention of increasing annual flying hours from around 2,700 to approximately 5,500.

The company’s reported financial difficulties raise questions about whether that expansion can be delivered. According to reports, Eliance recorded losses of €24 million last year. CCOO says it warned more than a year ago about awarding the contract to a private company that had already experienced problems with public-sector agreements.

Galicia’s emergency medical service, 061, terminated its contract with Eliance in March 2025 following repeated contractual problems, according to regional reporting. The company subsequently continued operating aircraft at Santiago and Ourense while replacement arrangements were pending.

The DGT has also faced problems with ageing helicopters, obsolete components and staffing shortages. Questions now remain over how it will maintain aerial surveillance if the operator cannot fulfil its obligations.

Speed cameras collect €246m in fines

The financial questions extend beyond the helicopters. Spain’s speed cameras generated a record €246.8 million in fines during 2025, according to drivers’ association Automovilistas Europeos Asociados (AEA). That was 14 per cent more than in 2024.

The association attributed the increase partly to new radar installations. Speeding penalties accounted for 41.5 per cent of traffic-fine revenue in the areas covered by its figures, excluding Catalonia and the Basque Country, which manage their own traffic enforcement.

How much does traffic enforcement really cost?

The DGT’s helicopter contract is worth €51.15 million for the initial service period, with additional extensions potentially taking the overall commitment higher. The agreement was intended to increase annual flying time to more than 5,500 hours.

Spending on roadside enforcement is continuing, too. In April 2026, the DGT awarded contracts worth around €1.02 million for new mobile speed camera equipment for Guardia Civil traffic patrol cars.

However, a complete comparison between enforcement costs and fine income is difficult. Spain’s Transparency Council has previously highlighted difficulties in obtaining a consolidated historical figure for the installation and maintenance of fixed speed cameras. Nor does the €246.8 million figure represent revenue from Pegasus helicopters: it covers fines generated by speed cameras.

The latest disruption nevertheless raises questions about how effectively Spain is investing in road safety and what contingency plans exist when a contractor responsible for a major public service faces financial difficulties.