Guidelines Encompass Factors Common to the Operation of Every Potential HAPS Payload
WAKEFIELD, Mass. — Dec. 13, 2022 — The HAPS Alliance, an international association of cross-industry players working to enable a High Altitude Platform Station (HAPS) ecosystem, today announced the publication of a new white paper, “Guidelines for Payload Operation in the Stratosphere,” which is available for download at no charge.
Written by the HAPS Alliance Telecommunications Working Group, the detailed new publication provides integration and environmental guidelines for potential payload providers to consider when developing a payload for operation on a flight vehicle in the stratosphere. With tables and checklists, its content helps providers understand the unique operating environment and the demands of aviation safety for stratospheric platforms, as well as how to apply test methods to assess the basic feasibility of payload operation in the stratosphere. The scope of the guidelines covers the factors that any potential payload should consider, rather than suggesting types of payloads (such as sensors or radios) and their unique specifications.
“By sharing our collective knowledge of the stratospheric operation, the HAPS Alliance seeks to reduce the technical barriers and challenges for new entrants in this industry. We believe that, through standardization, the common guidelines in this new white paper can increase the interoperability of payloads across flight vehicles, and will foster increased participation in the HAPS ecosystem,” said HAPS Alliance Telecommunications Working Group Chair Jaroslav Holiš.
- Download the HAPS Alliance “Guidelines for Payload Operation in the Stratosphere” White Paper.
- Not a Member? Learn More About HAPS Alliance Membership.
“With fleets of HAPS-enabled unmanned aircraft soon to be serving diverse connectivity needs in different parts of the world, using different vehicles and payloads, it’s important for operators to consider the conditions these various payloads will encounter throughout the deployment, from launch to landing. Through the work of our Telecommunications Working Group, the HAPS Alliance white paper showcases the common factors that providers of every sort of payload should take into account for successful operation,” said HAPS Alliance Telecommunications Working Group Vice-Chair Shiro Fukumoto.
There is general agreement that broad HAPS deployment is on the way, with the HAPS market expected to reach $4 billion in value by 2029, according to Northern Sky Research. Telecommunications, technology, aviation and aerospace companies, as well as public and educational institutions, will all benefit from the new paper’s information and recommendations for payload providers, as more players enter the HAPS industry.
HAPS Alliance Membership Benefits
All companies interested in the HAPS ecosystem are encouraged to become HAPS Alliance members. Alliance membership levels — Principal, General, and Government and Supporter — are open to organizations in any industry sector. Members have the opportunity to become involved in various membership initiatives, including working groups, member-only meetings, and collaboration with other HAPS Alliance members to work on technology components and use cases for enabling a smarter world.
About the HAPS Alliance The HAPS Alliance is an industry association of High Altitude Platform Station (HAPS) industry leaders that include telecommunications, technology, aviation and aerospace companies, as well as public and educational institutions. United by a vision to address diverse social issues and create new value through the utilization of high-altitude vehicles in the stratosphere, the Alliance is working to accelerate the development and commercial adoption of HAPS technology by promoting and building industry-wide standards, interoperability guidelines and regulatory policies in both the telecommunication and aviation industries. For more information, please visit https://hapsalliance.org/.