Presentation by the Aerospace Technology Research Group at the National Defense R&D Congress

The Directorate General of Armament and Material, the Directorate General of Recruitment and Military Education, together with the University Defense Centers and Isdefe (Engineering Systems for the Defense of Spain), recently organized the National Congress on R&D in Defense and Security (DESEi+d 2018). Now in its sixth edition, the event took place at the Army Cavalry Academy in Valladolid on November 20, 21, and 22, 2018.

Once again, a delegation from the Aerospace Technology Research Group of the University of León attended the event. With the aim of showcasing to the defense community (industry, armed forces, and other research centers) the potential of Stratospheric Platforms or Pseudo-Satellites (HAPS) for the sector, the group presented a paper titled:
“Stratospheric Platforms: Developments and Capabilities of Interest for Defense.”

HAPS (High Altitude Platforms) or Pseudo-Satellites are unmanned aircraft (RPAS) capable of flying autonomously in the stratosphere for extended periods. As demonstrated during the presentation, these systems have reached a level of technological maturity that ensures their capability and suitability for carrying out missions of interest to the defense sector. The presentation included two specific case studies of potential applications in the fields of communications and Earth observation, showing the feasibility of the proposed solutions using existing technologies.