Airbus to test Zephyr HAPS aircraft in WA

Airbus has announced that it will base the innovative Zephyr solar-powered, high-altitude pseudo-satellite (HAPS) aircraft at Wyndham airfield in Western Australia.

This will make Wyndham the world’s first operational site for the launch and recovery of HAPS.

The Western Australia Government has worked with Airbus since February this year to support the program. In March, Premier Mark McGowan and Defence Issues Minister Paul Papalia visited Airbus at Farnborough, in the UK, to be briefed on the proposal and provide state government support.

Zephyr can fly at altitudes of more than 65,000 feet to provide a range of services such as earth observation and communications in remote areas, including for civil, military or disaster relief purposes.

Wyndham has been chosen due to the region’s largely unrestricted airspace and reliable weather, with the first flights due to begin in the second half of this year.

“This is a major coup for Western Australia; I’m thrilled that Airbus has chosen Wyndham Airport as the operational and launch site for the Zephyr project,” said Premier McGowan.

“From my meeting with the company in March, I was very impressed with the proposal and Airbus’s international reputation. The technically advanced nature of the project will also help build Western Australia’s profile in the aerospace, defence and innovation spaces,” he added.

“The government looks forward to the operational success of Zephyr and to exploration by both local and other Australian government agencies and companies of opportunities to utilise such HAPS technology to improve economic, social and environmental outcomes in our region.”

As Critical Comms reported on Tuesday, there is growing interest in the use of unmanned aircraft systems for the provision of communications in remote regions.

Image courtesy Airbus.

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