Sceye, an aerospace company focused on material science and High-Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS), has announced a major breakthrough: the successful completion of a full diurnal flight in the stratosphere. This achievement is pivotal in advancing the company’s vision for long-duration flights lasting months or even years. The flight utilized solar power during daylight hours, allowing the HAPS to remain aloft overnight thanks to battery capacity and recharge the next morning.
The HAPS, launched from Sceye’s New Mexico facility on August 15th, remained airborne for over 24 hours, landing on August 16th after successfully completing the planned flight test points. “This is a significant milestone for the Sceye team, opening up vast opportunities in the stratosphere and building an entirely new layer of infrastructure between drones and satellites,” stated Sceye CEO and Founder, Mikkel Vestergaard Frandsen.
The ability to maintain a long-duration presence in the stratosphere over a specific area offers unparalleled advantages. It provides a unique vantage point for real-time detection of climate disasters like wildfires and methane leaks, as well as enabling connectivity to underserved areas that lack traditional infrastructure. This flight further solidified Sceye’s progress towards its 2024 test program objectives, showcasing diurnal flight capabilities, controlled relocation, and sustained presence over a target area. With these milestones achieved, Sceye is poised to initiate commercial applications of its technology.
“The flight was a powerful demonstration of our platform’s performance and resilience. I am excited to witness the growth and capabilities scale with each subsequent flight,” said Stephanie Luongo, Sceye Chief of Mission Operations. Sceye has completed a total of twenty test flights, with two more scheduled for 2024, further refining the platform in preparation for commercialization.
The successful flight carried a sophisticated payload suite designed to address pressing global challenges. This included stereo-optical cameras for generating precise elevation models used to understand and mitigate the impacts of disasters like floods and earthquakes. Infrared cameras enabled real-time prediction and detection of wildfires, as well as the identification of methane leaks – both major contributors to global warming. The payload also featured synthetic aperture radar, granting the platform the ability to see through clouds and monitor vital planetary systems regardless of weather conditions or time of day.
Sceye, founded in 2014, is dedicated to unlocking the potential of the stratosphere by connecting people and safeguarding the planet. The company is at the forefront of the High-Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS) industry, aiming to provide universal and equitable connectivity, enhance climate change monitoring, promote responsible stewardship of natural resources, detect and prevent wildfires, and respond effectively to disasters before they escalate.
