Indian aerospace company Veda Aeronautics has partnered with UAE-based Mira Aerospace to accelerate the development, testing and eventual deployment of solar-powered High-Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS) and stratospheric pseudo-satellites tailored for Indian military requirements.

The collaboration combines Mira Aerospace's proven ApusNeo HAPS technology with Veda Aeronautics' indigenous development and manufacturing capabilities under the Make in India initiative.

Under the partnership, Veda Aeronautics will serve as the local development and production partner, supporting the adaptation of the platform for Indian operational needs while strengthening domestic aerospace manufacturing capabilities. The solution is intended for both defence and civilian applications, although military surveillance and communications remain key priorities.

The two companies have already achieved an important milestone through a technology demonstrator flight conducted in Indian airspace. During testing, the HAPS platform successfully operated in the Indian stratosphere over the Pokhran Test Range at an altitude of around 12 kilometres, representing one of the earliest demonstrations of such a capability by the private sector in India.

The collaboration is closely aligned with the Indian Air Force's Make-1 initiative, which seeks an indigenous HAPS platform capable of carrying a minimum payload of 35 kg while operating at approximately 18,000 metres, or around 65,000 feet. The requirement also calls for continuous missions lasting between 30 and 45 days through a combination of solar energy and onboard battery storage.

Such systems are designed to occupy a unique operational niche between conventional satellites and High-Altitude Long-Endurance unmanned aircraft. Operating in the stratosphere, they can remain over a designated area for extended periods while delivering persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance coverage.

For the Indian Armed Forces, the platform could significantly enhance continuous monitoring along sensitive frontier regions, including high-altitude sectors facing China. Unlike satellites that pass over an area periodically, a HAPS platform can maintain near-constant observation over a specific region, providing commanders with sustained situational awareness.

The aircraft can also function as an airborne communications and data-relay node, extending connectivity to forces operating in remote locations. This capability could support beyond-line-of-sight military communications, networked operations and future unmanned teaming concepts while reducing operating costs compared with conventional HALE aircraft.

Globally, HAPS technology is attracting increasing attention because it combines some of the advantages of satellites with the flexibility of aircraft. Operating above weather systems and powered primarily by solar energy, these platforms are being developed for persistent surveillance, communications support, disaster response and geospatial data collection.

If successfully matured under the Make-1 framework, the Veda Aeronautics and Mira Aerospace programme could provide India with an indigenous high-altitude persistent surveillance capability while strengthening the country's growing unmanned and aerospace technology ecosystem.

Agencies