On November 12-13, 2024, HAPS Alliance members gathered at Deutsche Telekom’s headquarters in Bonn, Germany, for their Member Meeting. This in-person event brought together industry leaders to foster connections, exchange ideas, and advance the development of High-Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS) technology.
The meeting served as a dynamic forum to explore innovative applications of HAPS and discuss strategies to overcome challenges in deployment and scalability. Members took advantage of collaborative sessions, insightful presentations, and networking opportunities, reaffirming the Alliance’s commitment to shaping the future of stratospheric communications and technology. The event began with opening remarks from HAPS Alliance President and Nokia Federal Solutions Principal Architect Ken Riordan.
The Alliance welcomed three distinguished keynote speakers who shared insights on higher airspace operations (HAO), airspace management, and remote sensing payloads. Rob Stallard, Airspace Modernization Lead at the UK Civil Aviation Authority (UK CAA), presented “Higher Airspace Operations: HAPS & the UK Airspace Modernization Strategy,” emphasizing HAPS as the cornerstone of the UK’s HAO plans. Conrad Dang-Gabriel, NASA Program Specialist, delivered “Upper Class E Traffic Management: NASA’s Collaborative Research and Technical Development to Enable Routine, Safe, and Scalable High Altitude Operations,” highlighting NASA’s efforts to manage airspace as HAPS demand increases. Finally, Joerg Brauchle, Development Engineer and Project Leader at the DLR Institute of Optical Sensor Systems, discussed how his industry supports HAPS technology in his presentation, “The DLR Remote Sensing Payloads for High Altitude Platforms.”
The Marketing & Communications Working Group, the Telecommunications Working Group and the Aviation Working Group provided updates on their progress and initiatives since the last Member Meeting. The Defense Applications Working Group also shared updates on their work for the first time at an in-person member meeting. Five member presentations showcased key developments, including Aerostar’s insights on Strategic Tac Radio and Tac Overwatch (STRATO), Stratospheric Platform Ltd.’s exploration of green hydrogen-powered HAPS, Sceye’s overview of its flight program, KAUST’s vision for the future of HAPS technology, and a presentation, prepared jointly with Stratosyst, was presented by Hemeria Group on innovative lighter-than-air stratospheric aerostats. A panel organized by the Defense Applications Working Group gathered considerable interest from participants. Attendees heard from multiple defense industry members during the panel discussion “Defense Mission Applications of HAPS,” which touched on the inclusion of HAPS in existing defense missions and various other applications for the technology in the defense industry.
Focusing on real-world applications of HAPS technology, the event provided members with opportunities to share insights and learn from industry peers. Over the past year, the HAPS Alliance has welcomed 17 new members from diverse industries, reflecting its growing influence and reach. If you are interested in advancing HAPS technology and connecting the unconnected, explore more about joining the alliance here.
“First time attending and had a great experience. It was absolutely interesting to see how technical applications are applied to HAPS missions and gain insights of actual missions performed. This meeting is a great telltale of the future of HAPS.” – Meeting Attendee