UAE marks successful series of first-ever HAPS flights

Mira Aerospace, a global leader in High Altitude Platform Station (HAPS) technology and a joint venture between Bayanat, a leading provider of AI-powered geospatial analytics, and UAVOS, a US-based developer and manufacturer of advanced unmanned systems, has announced the completion of a successful series of HAPS flights in the UAE.

The success of these test flights reinforces the firm’s commitment to advancing the UAE’s aerospace industry and bolsters its international standing amongst other pioneering nations.

The aircraft, which launched from Abu Al Abyad Island in the UAE, flew at stratospheric altitude for several days during each mission while carrying an advanced Earth Observation payload. Throughout this period, apart from gathering valuable flight data, a variety of scenarios were tested to investigate the potential applications of use cases specific to Earth Observation and Environmental Monitoring.

Speaking about the latest achievement, Hasan Al Hosani, Managing Director of Bayanat and Chairman of Mira Aerospace, said," As Bayanat completes its merger with Yahsat to evolve into Space42, Mira Aerospace’s advancements are pivotal to our vision.

These successful HAPS flights mark a critical step forward, enabling us to not only gather more comprehensive data, but also to analyse and commercialise it through our AI-powered gIQ platform. This achievement propels us closer to realising the UAE’s ambitious goals and reinforces our unwavering commitment to leading the future of aerospace innovation."

“As we soon become Space42, we are dedicated to pioneering breakthroughs that inspire progress and drive positive change on a global scale,” continued Al Hosani.

Khaled Al Marzouqi, CEO of Mira Aerospace, added, "The UAE’s ongoing quest to adopt cutting-edge technologies will place the country on the global stage among industry leaders in space innovation and data diversity.

The applications of unmanned systems will allow us to support vital sectors such as the environment, agriculture, energy, government, and private sectors, among others."

HAPS technology, which has been cited by the World Economic Forum (WEF) as one of the top ten new technologies that will impact the world, has already made its mark across three continents. The successful flights from the UAE not only showcase the country’s growing expertise in high-tech aerospace solutions but also set the stage for future breakthroughs in this space.

Mira Aerospace’s HAPS technology also provides long-duration, zero-carbon flights using high-efficiency solar panels for energy. This will serve as a sustainable, cost-effective solution for continuous Earth surface monitoring by collecting high-resolution data and communication services for uninhabited areas either as an independent network or via 4G and 5G service providers, with high flexibility in flight path control and direction.

By bridging the gap between satellites and terrestrial systems, HAPS technology offers enhanced capabilities across extensive areas, enabling more precise and adaptable solutions for global challenges.

WAM