Zephyr Innovation Programme (ZIP)
Lead Participant:
AIRBUS DEFENCE AND SPACE LIMITED
Abstract
The world-record breaking, unmanned, solar-electric, stratospheric aircraft, Airbus Zephyr, was developed as a
High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (HAPS) flying at up to 70kft, carrying payloads that provide services (e.g.
surveillance) to the defence sector. Airbus is developing the next generation of Zephyr to address the
substantially larger civilian markets in remote sensing & internet connectivity services. This requires
improvements in flight performance to expand operations to higher latitudes all year-round, cost reduction &
design for higher volume manufacturing. ZIP will develop key technologies in aerostructures, energy storage &
propulsion to address these challenges ahead of international competition & strengthen the UK supply chain in
time for WRC2020.
High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (HAPS) flying at up to 70kft, carrying payloads that provide services (e.g.
surveillance) to the defence sector. Airbus is developing the next generation of Zephyr to address the
substantially larger civilian markets in remote sensing & internet connectivity services. This requires
improvements in flight performance to expand operations to higher latitudes all year-round, cost reduction &
design for higher volume manufacturing. ZIP will develop key technologies in aerostructures, energy storage &
propulsion to address these challenges ahead of international competition & strengthen the UK supply chain in
time for WRC2020.
Lead Participant | Project Cost | Grant Offer |
|---|---|---|
| AIRBUS DEFENCE AND SPACE LIMITED | £2,400,020 | £ 685,926 |
Participant |
||
| PRODUCTIV LIMITED | £167,403 | £ 116,194 |
| INNOVATE UK | ||
| CRANFIELD UNIVERSITY | £245,135 | £ 245,135 |
| UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE | £636,982 | £ 636,982 |
| OXIS ENERGY LIMITED | £2,391,633 | £ 1,195,817 |
| FORMTECH COMPOSITE LIMITED | £1,581,486 | £ 764,332 |
People |
ORCID iD |