Drones Taking the Lava's Pulse

For the reconstruction of the LP-2 road in La Palma (Canary Islands), we are deploying drones equipped with infrared thermography to monitor the thermal evolution of the lava, ensuring both the safety and feasibility of the operations.

The 2021 eruption of the Tajogaite volcano in La Palma (Canary Islands) buried the LP-2 road while it was undergoing construction. We are currently rebuilding the section between kilometers 40 and 43, contending with the high temperatures that still persist within the lava field.

“Constructing this new road across the lava field necessitates a thorough assessment of the ground's thermal conditions, as volcanic lava flows can retain high temperatures for many years,” explains Juan Antonio Romero, Head of Topography at Sacyr Engineering in La Palma.

We have addressed this challenge by deploying drones equipped with infrared thermographic cameras for the capture, analysis, and thermal modeling of the affected terrain.

 

 
 

This technology enables us to identify areas with significant thermal activity, evaluate the technical feasibility of the proposed route, and provide recommendations to ensure safe operations for our professionals and partners.

Furthermore, this detailed analysis helps anticipate potential impacts on the road pavement structure and bituminous mixtures, as thermal variations can alter their cohesion, stiffness, and durability. This, in turn, informs the design and construction decisions for the future pavement.

This project is spearheaded by the Canary Islands Ministry of Public Works, which awarded the contract to the JV TAJUYA joint venture (comprising Sacyr Engineering and Infrastructure, Traysesa, Herquipalma, and Los Volcanes). The project is slated for completion in 2028.
 

 

 
 

Thermal Radiation Measurement

 

Infrared thermography is a remote sensing technique that detects thermal radiation emitted by objects based on their surface temperature. In the geotechnical field, this tool has proven to be an effective method for:


•    Identifying areas of residual volcanic activity.
•    Detecting active fractures and gas emissions.
•    Analyzing cooling processes in lava flows.
•    Evaluating the thermal stability of ground for civil engineering projects.


“Through the acquisition and processing of infrared images, we have generated georeferenced heat maps and graphs that illustrate the thermal evolution. The DJI MATRICE 350 RTK drone, equipped with a camera, can detect temperatures ranging from 0 to 550 degrees Celsius,” explains Juan Antonio Romero.

“This undertaking combines advanced technologies in remote sensing, thermal photogrammetry, and geospatial analysis. As a result, we enhance the road's quality and, crucially, improve site safety and occupational health,” he concludes.

  • Results

Results Presentation Q1 2026

SACYR, S.A. announces call notice of the Group’s Q1 2026 results presentation.

The results will be released on Wednesday, April 29th, 2026, after market close in CNMV and in our website.

The results presentation will be held on Thursday, April 30th, 2026, at 12:00h (CEST) by audio-webcast in real time, accessible by this link.

Access to the presentation of results replay will also be available directly at the link above.

Featured projects

Sacyr bolsters financial structure with refinancing and upsizing of syndicated loan to €600 Million

•    The P3 company has secured the support of 25 financial institutions, enabling improved pricing and extended maturity for its corporate debt.

•    Sacyr has incorporated sustainability and occupational safety commitments throughout the financing term.
 

Sacyr has successfully completed the refinancing of its syndicated loan under highly favorable terms.

This refinancing has enabled an increase in the available facility from €470 million to €600 million, alongside improved pricing and a two-year extension of the maturity period to five years.

The refinancing was significantly oversubscribed, attracting commitments of nearly twice the final amount, which underscores the strong market confidence in Sacyr.

The transaction, supported by 25 financial institutions, was coordinated by Santander, BBVA, Crédit Agricole, Société Générale, and CaixaBank.

This milestone significantly strengthens Sacyr's financial position, providing an even more robust foundation to advance towards the objectives outlined in its 2024-2028 Strategic Plan.

Sustainability and Safety Commitments

As part of this transaction, Sacyr has incorporated sustainability and safety commitments linked to predefined indicators for CO2 reduction and occupational accident rates. Adherence to or deviation from these targets will result in a marginal adjustment to the loan's pricing.
 

Investment grade rating

In 2025, global credit rating agency DBRS Ratings GmbH (Morningstar DBRS) assigned Sacyr an investment grade rating. This milestone represents a significant step in meeting the objectives established in the 24-27 Strategic Plan. Morningstar DBRS is one of four rating agencies recognized by the European Central Bank and the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

The agency gave Sacyr a long-term corporate credit rating of BBB (low) and a short-term rating of R-2 (low), both with a "Stable" outlook.
 

Results Presentation

Consult and download all the presentation of results from recent years, published in the National Securities Market Commission (CNMV).

 

The Q1 2026 results presentation will be held on 30th April 2026 at 12:00 CEST.

To access the webcast click here.

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Semi-Submersible Drones: Bringing Aquatic Environments to Light

We operate a semi-submersible Uncrewed Surface Vehicle (USV) capable of collecting seabed data even in the most adverse conditions.

Understanding the seabed is key before initiating any marine construction project. Bathymetry, or detailed seabed mapping, consistently faces numerous challenges, including the inherent conditions of the sea itself.

These challenges have arisen during the Central Pier Extension, Phase 2, project at the Port of Bilbao. There, we conducted verification tests to enable operations with easily transportable semi-submersible uncrewed vehicles.

"We have innovated by installing a multibeam echosounder and a side-scan sonar on these units. Using acoustic waves, we acquire seabed elevation data," explains Alfredo Pérez, Head of Marine Works at Sacyr Engineering and Infrastructure’s Technical Services Department. Pérez was recently honored with the Natural Innovators 2025 award, a Sacyr internal program for the promotion and advancement of innovation.

"Thanks to this drone, we reduce CO2 emissions and enhance operational capability in the most unfavorable weather conditions," he explains.
"Tests have been conducted both in the open sea and within the port basin. This allows for a more thorough evaluation of the characteristics of this semi-submersible unit and enables a comparison with conventional methods," Alfredo Pérez adds.

 

 
 

Acoustic probes are the only ones that propagate effectively in turbid aquatic environments. This high-frequency echosounder generates a conical beam, providing a data point cloud with far more comprehensive seabed information than traditional single-beam echosounders. This point cloud is then used for data processing, interpolation, and noise reduction, ultimately rendered as contour maps for detailed seabed interpretation.

Bathymetric surveys performed with this method are compared with those obtained by conventional means, and an analysis is conducted to determine if the tolerances between both datasets are within acceptable values.

The echosounder used in Bilbao offers a scan that allows for real-time visualization of the seabed. It provides insights into the terrain's hardness and roughness and performs side scans for object detection. Its measurements can be taken in environments up to four times more challenging than those supported by conventional methods.

"In the future, our goal is to expand the inner data cone to 160 degrees. We also plan to install an antenna on the echosounder to use an airborne bathymetric lidar, which would provide both terrestrial and marine data in a single operation. This way, we will have complete terrain profiles, overlapping both the marine and terrestrial sections," says Alfredo.

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