Aircraft
Airbus Zephyr Pseudo-satellite Gets New Funding
But the company did not describe how much progress it had made, in producing two examples ordered by the UK Ministry of Defence.
The Zephyr is a high-altitude, solar-powered substitute for satellite observation and communication. (Photo: Airbus)
The Zephyr is a high-altitude, solar-powered substitute for satellite observation and communication. (Photo: Airbus)

Airbus Defence and Space described some new funding for its Zephyr high-altitude pseudo-satellite (HAPS) project in the UK. The Zephyr is a lightweight, solar- and battery-powered unmanned aerial system. Previous experimental versions have flown above 60,000 feet for up to 14 days. In early 2016, AIN reported that the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) ordered two of the latest version for an operational concept demonstration.