India has launched a unique project for the design and development of a High-Altitude Platform (HAP) vehicle at the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), Bengaluru. The HAP is a solar-powered, autonomous unmanned aircraft that operates at stratospheric levels. It is capable of day and night operations at altitudes of 17–20 km, with an impressive endurance of several months.

These aircraft serve as a persistent platform for Earth observation or telecommunications at a specific geographic location. They are solar-powered with secondary batteries, enabling such extended performance. This contrasts with High-Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) aircraft, which have endurance of up to 48 hours and are conventionally powered.

HAPs are of interest to military operators for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance roles. They can also be used for civilian purposes, such as acting as telecommunication satellites, particularly in cases of environmental disasters. Compared to satellites, the HAP, which operates in the stratosphere, offers lower latency and less path loss. It can also be deployed more rapidly and at a lower cost.

Additionally, HAPs can be re-tasked, providing them with the flexibility of an aircraft combined with the persistence of a geostationary satellite. A HAP with a payload is often referred to as a High-Altitude Pseudo Satellite (HAPS). NDTV’s Science Editor Pallava Bagla was given rare access to this aircraft and spoke with Dr. L. Venkatakrishnan, Head of the HAPS Program at the National Aerospace Laboratories, Bengaluru.

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