Can
High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellite technology become a capability enabler for
Frontex and innovative solution for internal security? The final report from
the Frontex-led research has just been released. It describes the potential and
the benefits that this emerging technology may offer for the observation of the
borders, telecommunication, and navigation without forgetting the important
aspect of fundamental rights.
At the end of 2022, Frontex
launched a research study on High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellites,
known as HAPS, which are advanced unmanned flying systems that operate in the stratosphere.
The main purpose of the study was to assess whether HAPS could potentially
address operational gaps identified by the European Border and Coast Guard community
and by other members of the EU
Innovation Hub for Internal Security.
Three
distinct, yet interlinked questions were researched by the study team:
- What is the current state of the HAPS market and what are the key trends,
players, and emerging technologies in this field?
- What are the technical capabilities, limitations, and requirements for HAPS and
how can they be effectively integrated into the operational activities?
- What potential impacts, both positive and negative, could the deployment of
HAPS have on operations and how can these impacts be maximised or mitigated?
Each
of these questions were addressed in three separate reports:
- HAPS
market report provided insights into the
landscape surrounding the deployment of HAPS;
- Technological
assessment report offered a condensed overview and
analysis of the HAPS platforms and associated technologies, including payloads currently
under development by the main manufacturers;
-
HAPS preliminary assessment of the impact on
fundamental rights (available
below) identifies the fundamental rights that could potentially be
affected by the implementation of HAPS technology in their operations.
With
the impending market entry of both heavier-than-air (HTA) and lighter-than-air
(LTA) platforms, the years to come signal a promising future for HAPS
technology. As HAPS solutions will progressively enter their operating phase, the
service revenues are expected to become their main revenue stream. This will
create a new business model of HAPS-as-a-service, which Frontex will most
likely benefit from in the foreseeable future.
The
final report offers a comprehensive overview of all market, technical
and fundamental rights aspects associated with HAPS whereas the accompanying
booklet and the fourth insight summarise the project’s results in a
succinct way.
For more details, you may also watch a recorded webinar of approximately 40 minutes.