Expands High-Altitude Platform-Station Capabilities

AeroVironment, or AV, has successfully completed the first test flight of its Horus A Sunglider. This model, designed for commercial and government customers, has upgraded High-Altitude Platform-Station (HAPS) capabilities for improved stratospheric performance.

The Horus A is a solar-powered UAS with a 150 lb payload and 1.5kW of power available. Compared to the original Sunglider, it features modernized avionics, redundant systems, and additional autonomy for flexibility and safety.

The U.S. Army and an FAA Special Airworthiness Certificate recently gave Horus A the green light for flight testing within the national airspace.

"During this recent Horus A flight, we demonstrated the ability to carry multiple payloads for the U.S. DoD and transmit real-time data, advancing the viability of HAPS for government applications," commented Jeff Rodrian, AV’s senior vice president and general manager of MacCready Works. "This flight marks another milestone in our stratospheric platform’s progress. It underscores AV’s leadership in developing solar-powered, high-altitude systems with significant potential for commercial and government applications."

In the flight test, AV was able to monitor Horus A’s system redundancy, interoperability, and performance. The aircraft also demonstrated the ability to maneuver safely in challenging weather conditions, preparing it for landings and longer missions in the Stratosphere.

Horus A is equipped with a satellite-based beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) radio and new avionics, providing reliable communications, network extension, Assured Positioning, Navigation and Timing (APNT), Space Domain Awareness, long-endurance ISR, and deep sensing. These features will also improve the effectiveness of smaller uncrewed systems, like the company’s Switchblade 600, in critical operations.

Moving forward, AV is working to bring Horus A into service as quickly as possible. The company will also be continuing its collaboration with SoftBank, the joint Sunglider developer, to offer a HAPS telecommunications connectivity solution.

FMI: www.avinc.com