About the Centre

Our purpose

• To be a leading authority on stratospheric delivery of applications
• To act as a custodian of the technology
• To catalyse a thriving ecosystem of industry, academia and associated organisations interested in the research, development and use of HAP applications

Themes

Our initial focus is on three application themes:

• Wireless communications
• Remote monitoring and control for smart cities
• Atmospheric science research

Background

York has been active in high altitude platform related research since 1999. Its first major project was the European FP5 HeliNet project in 2003, in which it was a partner. This project developed a scale sized prototype HAP and a range of applications, including broadband communications. From 2003 to 2007 York coordinated the 14-partner European FP6 CAPANINA project which examined delivery of broadband communications from a variety of aerial platforms, including HAPs. One of the major outputs of this project was a stratospheric balloon trial in Kiruna, Sweden. York developed a mm-wave broadband payload.

Since then a number of other projects have followed. We coordinated the European COST Action COST 297 which focussed on the use of High Altitude Platforms for Communications and Other Services (HAPCOS). We have undertaken atmospheric science research undertaken in NASA’s Global Hawk high altitude aircraft. Most recently we participated in the European FP7 ABSOLUTE from 2012 – 2016. This examined the used aerial platforms, including HAPs, for the delivery of ‘4G’ wireless communications for public protection and disaster relief and large scale temporary events.