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Airbus

Zephyr: Pioneering the Stratosphere

Airbus Proprietary

Paul Stevens – Head of Design

Airbus Zephyr Programme

25/02/2019

ZP-PN-0039v2.0

“All air vehicles are limited by physics, some by

imagination, all others are limited by fuel”

Chris Kelleher 2015

Contents:1. What is Zephyr?

2. Why the stratosphere?

3. How does Zephyr work?

4. What does Zephyr do?

5. What Next for Zephyr?

Proven System Performance

• After taking off on 11th July in Arizona, USA, Zephyr S logged a maiden

flight of over 25 days, the longest duration flight ever made.

• Consistently achieved dawn altitudes of c60,000 ft throughout the flight, and

achieved an ultimate altitude record of >74,00ft.

• Payload operations: OPAZ 26cm resolution images, video and 3D mapping.

• BLOS: Whilst we remained in LOS of the local GCS at all times, we tested

BLOS and commanded the aircraft from the GCS in Farnborough

• The flight also proved a completely new battery technology which we have

developed from concept to flight within a year and allowed us to operate

with a dedicated flight ops crew for the first time

• An application has been made to establish this as a new world record and

we now move to operations from our new Australian permanent

operating base to support our customers

.

Q. Why fly so high? A. To avoid the weather

Altitude

Speed

Jet stream

65kft

40kft

Po

we

r re

qu

ire

d to

cru

ise

Power required to cruise

Mission planning and navigation starts with answering the question:

“how high must Zephyr fly?”.

Sweet spot!

Wind Speed Example

True Air Speed Cruise

Flight operations

5

• After take off from a launch site, Zephyr will ascend into

the stratosphere under Line Of Sight control from the

launch site, and then switch to Beyond Line Of Sight

control for the transit to the mission location.

• Operating between 60kft to 75kft, Zephyr remains well

clear of conventional air traffic and above the Jet-

stream.

• At 65kft, LOS to horizon is 500km.

• Zephyr transits approximately 1000nm per day.

• The only time Zephyr is integrated with other airspace

users is during the ascent and descent phases.

~1800km/day

LOS 1000km

diameter

Transit

Zephyr C&C Irridium

Payload BLOS

Inmarsat

LRE

Deployable

P/L terminal

Area of Interest

Zephyr Video - Maiden Flight 2018:

Q. How does Zephyr Work?

A. It’s a perfect balance of energy IN and energy OUT

The Zephyr concept is made viable by low cruise power at high altitude, which is determined by:

• Aero-structural design needs to offer low mass, low wing loading and low drag;

• High propulsion system efficiency;

• Minimum power requirements for on-board avionicssystems;

• High energy density power storage system with good cycle life (high Whrs/kg);

• Efficient power generation (high W/kg).

Zephyr - span loaded structure

Q. What does Zephyr do?

A. It reliably stays in the stratosphere ALL NIGHT

No other aircraft has achieved this or is remotely close to this!

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Zephyr S top level specification:

1. AUM <75kg;

2. Endurance up to 2 years;

3. Year round operating capability:

• Current battery ±25degrees

latitude;

• Planned, approx. ±40degrees;

• Seasonal endurance outside

these latitudes.

4. Payload capacity up to 250W, 4kg to

12kg, with some seasonal

dependence.

08 March 2019 10

Example of a still image from wing tip camera transferred

over BLOS data links

Payloads and applicationsRemote sensing:

• Border security

• Civil planning

• Maritime monitoring (AIS)

Environmental monitoring:

• Pollution

• Desertification / water resources

• Atmospheric monitoring

Communications:

• Wide area relay and broadcast

Huge LOS foot print

• 1000km diameter

Benign Flight Envelop

• Roll angle ~7degrees

• Very low vibration

Augments space and aircraft

• Qualities of a Geo-stationary satellite

• Dynamically re-tasked like a tactical

UAS

Q. What does Zephyr do?

A. It flies for months at a time.

08 March 2019 12

The 2018 test flight:

• Performed in restricted airspace;

• Blue snail trail, if straightened out,

would go around the world almost

1 ½ times;

• Did anyone follow the stratospheric

art on Flight Radar 24?

Transit

Zephyr C&C Irridium

Payload BLOS

Inmarsat

LRE

Deployable

P/L terminal

Area of Interest

OPAZ images – © Airbus DS 2018 – view from Airbus Zephyr

Zephyr Video – OPAZ Acquisitions 2018:

Year round services

Legislation and approval

Applications and Payloads

Batteries

Q What next for Zephyr

TechnologyEnd user value

Flight Demonstrations

Flight hours

Confidence

Only Zephyr has

proven and sustained flight in

the stratosphere

Q. What next for Zephyr?

Q. What next for Zephyr?

Wyndham, Western Australia

• The technology is here and Zephyr S works!

• High Altitude Pseudo Satellites address high

value applications requiring persistent

presence;

• Airbus Zephyr has a demonstrated lead in the

design, build and operation of HAPS allowing

low risk access to a World class development;

• Clear program to develop operations,

legislation and payloads in parallel for rapid

entrance to market.

Questions?