Current communication networks ensure the availability of diverse services for diverse users. Among the main considerations to the networks deployment are the infrastructure, required to install ground based equipments as satcom ground stations and or towers and the typical media conditions for optical or microwave links operation within acceptable performance levels.
The infrastructure costs are function of the terrain, logistics, environmental laws and return of the investments expected taking into account the users profile and region where such networks are aimed to be implemented.
Tactical applications require simple logistics with high mobility and quick response independently of the geographical location and its condition, in short term. The users of this type of services can be military, governmental agencies and civil personnel in operational contexts as specific missions and crisis due to natural disasters. By the other hand, strategic networks include voice and data in long term bases where users have limited or are simply disconnected from the "www".
For both tactical and strategic missions, specially in areas not reached by proper communications infrastructure, the HAPS can perform a key function as communication platforms able to make possible and viable the implementation of services in locations of interest and within a given timeframe. This paper presents a summary of HAPS projects destined to telecommunications and scenarios where the current technologies can face relevant challenges. It will introduce a case where HAPS can work as support system by implementing new networks, as for instance 5G, as well as connecting existing remote networks to backbones.

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Viasat will demonstrate the role of Satcom when combined with other technologies is playing to support HAPS missions such as: Civil / gvt remote sensing, surveillance, Communications nodes.
Viasat will describe the concept of HAN (Hybrid Adaptive Network) that can be characterized by its ability to seamlessly roam among several types of networks: Satcom and Terrestrial both private sector and purpose-built military.
The Hybrid Adaptive Network concept is a flexible Service Delivery Platform that meets the need for a robust, scalable communications network built on open standards, and leverage the exponential technology growth. The Hybrid Adaptive Network approach provides the greatest performance and mission assurance using the best available network.
HAN is providing benefits that are key for the needs of HAPS:
› Ubiquitous connectivity,
› Resilience and reliable network,
› Flexibility to meet the need for a robust, scalable services for HAPS missions,
› Security.
This presentation will show the application of HAN to the HAPS. Viasat is relying on its experience in implementing C2 Link on all class of UAVs: tactical, Male and Hale.
It is also making use of its experience feedback that is consisting in managing Mission data for Drone as a services contracts.
Remote sensing homing in real-time is relying on a global and high capacity network able to transmit data of the HAPS payload to the ground stations but also to the remote control room. High capacity satellites are enabling to transmit large quantity of information of a comprehensive set of sensors thus making the system well suited for a wide variety of applications.
Finally viasat will also unveil how cloud-enabled solutions over secure communication network may enable a HAPS to take full benefit of Artificial intelligence, machine learning applications, media rich intelligence. Through modernized end-to-end communications network, it will empower HAPS with advanced data-driven and operational capabilities.

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Living Planet Symposium 2019
Stratobus for Environmental missions

StratobusTM is a stratospheric airship that can stay at a fixed point, at 20km altitude for a whole year. It is above commercial airplane routes and is fully autonomous using its electric engines to fight against the steady wind. It can embark various sensors and equipment (up to 250 kg and 5 kW) and perform long-term surveillance missions over a large zone, the horizon being as far as 500 km at this altitude. StratobusTM is simple to operate, low in carbon footprint and extremely cost effective for long term missions compared to airplanes or UAVs.
In the presentation, we would highlight the main caracteristics of the environment found in the stratosphere, the main design features of the Stratobus platform and the payload integration capabilities offered.
Stratobus can offer many missions for the environment surveillance missions which could bring value to several operational missions, such as local oil spills detection and proof, detection of pollutants and/or small particles, forest fires, toxic algal bloom, precision agriculture, cadastre high resolution mapping, etc… to the benefit of Authorities.
Most of those missions are already implemented by satellites with major success, and this approach should therefore be seen as a complement to satellite to fulfill existing gaps or lacks : Satellite bringing worldwide coverage with revisit and medium resolution, while Stratobus can provide regional coverage permanent and high resolution.
In this presentation, we would present few missions that can benefit from Stratobus unique characteristics, which are :
- Environmental surveillance : Surveillance of Oil & Gas spill, harmful algae and agriculture
- Urban monitoring : monitoring pollutants and measuring Urban Heat Islands
- Disaster relief : delivering information and connectivity during disaster such as hurricanes

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The Hybrid Tethered Platform technology under R&D consists of an airborne tethered platform composed by inflatable structures that operated from a ground station equipped with a winch and energy producing equipment transmitted through a tether cable to the balloon to ensure long endurance, that uses a combination of both buoyancy and aerodynamic lift through the Magnus effect, with the latter being one order of magnitude greater than the former. When compared with a traditional tethered aerostat, this system with extra aerodynamic lift from the Magnus effect, can guarantee better performances in station keeping and can carry heavier payloads at higher altitudes.
Possible applications for this airborne platform include satellite data validation and calibration, satellite laser link communications, monitoring applications such as forest fires, marine environment, atmosphere/climate changes monitoring, Emergency Management, advertising, aerial photography, video recording and surveillance, telecommunications and wind energy harnessing.
The present prototype has a reserved airspace authorization to operate up to an altitude of 500m above ground in a Portuguese Air Force base at OTA. The system is designed to lift a 30kg payload and is being used for flight testing several different types of monitoring payloads.
The goal of Omnidea is to continue to progress on this technology to have, in the near future, a platform that can operate at any altitude of up to 3 km and develop a Preliminary design of a High Altitude Platform (HAP). A HAP design capable of reaching the stratosphere and thus being permanently above the clouds, establishing simultaneously communications optical links, from the platform with satellites, i.e. can link to satellites without atmospheric constrains (e.g. link attenuation, link blockage), and from the platform with a ground station through an RF and/or an optical terminal in the tether cable.

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High Altitude Pseudo Satellites (HAPS) have significant potential for earth observation, bridging the gap between existing satellite based systems and ground based observation, and opening up new capabilities and services.
Airbus Zephyr S is a solar-electric High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (HAPS) UAV which is designed to complement and extend existing satellite networks, missions and services by providing persistent, flexible, local satellite-like capability. Operated like a satellite, Zephyr offers a ‘skyhook’ to support payloads from a variety of suppliers and may be used in ‘pseudo-SAT’ mode, with quasi-geostationary flight pattern to provide GEO like capability 24-7, or in ‘pseudo-UAV’ mode with dynamic flight pattern to complement LEO missions, but with the flexibility to be re-tasked.
Zephyr offers significant potential for local persistent earth observation applications in missions lasting 100 days or more. The aim is to provide a data feed into existing ground stations which will augment and extend current satellite data services. Coupled with advanced algorithms to analyse the data, such as change detection, this could enable early identification of events before they escalate and the ability to plan and implement measures more effectively. This has application to border protection, maritime security, migration, environmental and pollution monitoring, contingency planning and humanitarian aid.
An overview of recent stratospheric flights of the production model Zephyr S is provided in this presentation. These flights are from the Airbus permanent launch and recovery site in Australia which opened formally in November 2018. From this launch and recovery site, Zephyr is flown fully integrated into civil airspace under approvals from the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority, CASA. A variety of payloads are carried, demonstrating the utility and potential of HAPS services.
Drawing on this experience from actual flight experience and demonstrations, the implications and potential for new capabilities to complement satellite technologies and advance earth observation services are summarised.

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