Working Groups
HAPS Alliance Working Groups enable our eligible members to deepen their participation and enhance their influence on the development and deployment of HAPS ventures. Whatever your area of expertise, as a leader in your industry, our working groups enable you to have a direct and tangible effect on the future of high altitude platform stations (HAPS).
HAPS Alliance Working Groups cover several critical areas: marketing and communications, aviation, and telecommunications.
Working together to accelerate technical growth of safe, reliable HAPS systems to unlock the worldwide services potential of the stratosphere.
We do this by sharing a HAPS Alliance-centric concept of operations with our regulators and stakeholders to find the best route forwards.
Chair of the Aviation WG: Andy Thurling
Vice-Chair of the Aviation WG: Timothy Down
Working to advance the global HAPS ecosystem for telecommunications use cases through education, research, regulatory advocacy, and technical standards.
Currently focused on standards contributions to multiple groups and regulatory guidance in support of HAPS solutions.
Chair of the Telecommunications WG: Fatema Hamdani
Vice-Chair of the Telecommunications WG: Shiro Fukumoto
Supporting the creation of HAPS ecosystem by supporting Alliance goals in driving awareness, safety and regulatory alignment and commercial adoption.
Currently working on educating stakeholders about the value of stratosphere and hybrid networks; building credibility and establigh authority in HAPS operations and bridging the divide between aerospace, teleco and regulatory by facilitating cross-industry collaboration.
Chair of the Marketing & Communications WG: Matthew Nicholson
Working Group Chairs
Bob LeeIndependent ConsultantAerostarBob Lee is currently the Owner and Principal Consultant for GXA Consulting. He is currently engaged helping clients in the areas of performance-based communications systems, and traffic management concepts for emerging airspace users, with a focus on higher airspace operations (HAO). He has co-authored HAO papers on behalf of Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) and the HAPS Alliance. He serves as higher airspace committee co-chair for the International Coordinating Council of Aerospace Industry Associations (ICCAIA) and as vice chair of the Emerging Technologies committee at AIA.
Prior to consulting, Bob spent over 30 years at Collins working in a wide range of roles including systems engineering, program management, and developing business and technology strategies for their commercial businesses. He has a broad background in business and commercial aviation markets, aircraft operations, and a wide range of technologies (e.g. air to ground communications, low visibility systems, CNS).
Bob is a regular contributor to industry activities at AIA, EUROCONTROL, RTCA, ICCAIA and ICAO.
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Bob Lee is currently the Owner and Principal Consultant for GXA Consulting. He is currently engaged helping clients in the areas of performance-based communications systems, and traffic management concepts for emerging airspace users, with a focus on higher airspace operations (HAO). He has co-authored HAO papers on behalf of Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) and the HAPS Alliance. He serves as higher airspace committee co-chair for the International Coordinating Council of Aerospace Industry Associations (ICCAIA) and as vice chair of the Emerging Technologies committee at AIA.
Prior to consulting, Bob spent over 30 years at Collins working in a wide range of roles including systems engineering, program management, and developing business and technology strategies for their commercial businesses. He has a broad background in business and commercial aviation markets, aircraft operations, and a wide range of technologies (e.g. air to ground communications, low visibility systems, CNS).
Bob is a regular contributor to industry activities at AIA, EUROCONTROL, RTCA, ICCAIA and ICAO.
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