Operation and operation approval of high altitude platforms (HAP)

Abstract

High Altitude Platforms (HAP) or Pseudo Satellites are quasi stationed unmanned aerial systems (UAS). These UAS are designed to perform long term observation or communication tasks. They are operating at altitudes around 20 km, ensuring minimized interaction with regular air traffic. Nevertheless, certain flight phases require specific measures to integrate HAPs into the existing Air Traffic Management (ATM) to ensure their safe operation at all times. Recently the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and other civil aviation authorities showed efforts to introduce a regulatory framework for medium risk UAS operations. Medium risk operations are labeled as Specific Category. Other introduced categories are the Open Category for very low risk operations and the Certified Category for high risk operations that are comparable to manned aviation. This framework has the potential to reduce the expenditure of certification compared to manned civil aviation. This paper discusses the challenges for HAP operators who aim for medium risk UAS operations in the Specific Category. It also shows ways to obtain an operation approval in the specific category and how to deal with the associated operational requirements to perform such long endurance UAS missions.