The Indian Air Force (IAF) is getting three ‘pseudo satellites’ or High-Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS) amid heightened tensions with Pakistan and a possible threat from China.
HAPS is like a remotely piloted aircraft but flies in the stratosphere at 65,000 feet.
It bridges the gap between satellites orbiting the Earth and drones flying within the atmosphere. Its stratospheric reach puts it above any weather activity and air traffic, and being solar-powered, it can loiter for months.
Since it flies in the stratosphere, HAPS can be used for disaster relief, border surveillance, and maritime monitoring without violating international airspace regulations.
Operating outside the range of Area Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) systems, a fleet of HAPS with various capabilities operating alone or in concert could support various forces on the ground. Their capabilities could enhance communication, sensing, and intelligence gathering capabilities for long periods with minimal logistical support requirements.
The Indian Ministry of Defense has issued a request for information (RFI) for the acquisition of three such platforms for the IAF, and domestic manufacturers have been invited to bid.
The RFI says these are needed for ‘persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance’ (ISR) operations. They should also provide airborne data relay for other unmanned platforms while reading the adversary’s electronic signals.
The companies must submit their bids by June 20, and the delivery is expected to be completed in 18 months from the contract date.
The IAF wants the system to be solar-powered and be able to operate at an altitude of 20 km (more than double the height of Mount Everest). Another requirement for the HAPS is that it should be able to communicate for 150 km in a clear line of sight. It needs to have a minimum operational endurance of 48 hours. “The desirable Satcom (Satellite Communication) is at least 400 km,” the RFI said.
HAPS is a strategic asset, a cross between a satellite and an airplane, with the endurance of a satellite and the agility of an aircraft for a persistent stratospheric presence. In comparison to satellites, the HAPS has the advantage of being cheaper to build, launch, and operate. Also, HAPS can be deployed and repositioned rapidly, whereas Satellites require complex launch procedures.
HAPS provides consistent coverage by remaining airborne for months. It provides continuous surveillance and communication without the revisit time limitations of satellites. HAPS operate between the altitudes of 20-50 km, thus providing faster data transmission compared to geostationary satellites. HAPS are less vulnerable to anti-satellite weapons, orbital debris, and jamming attacks.
In comparison to the Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS), colloquially known as ‘Flying Radars,’ HAPS can stay airborne for extended periods. As the ‘Pseudo Satellites’ operate at higher altitudes, they are less detectable and harder to intercept than AWACS. Unlike AWACS, which require refueling and airbases, HAPS can be deployed anywhere without logistical constraints.
However, HAPS operate in a challenging environment where solar radiance is high and temperatures can be very low. These systems are designed to be airborne for long periods of time. To deliver coverage to a fixed location on the ground, the platform must have power to remain ‘on-station’.
India intends to augment the large gap between the demand and supply of ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) and communication data by a multitude of military and civilian users and agencies.
The specified requirements mention that the ‘pseudo satellite’ should have a detection range of at least 50 km from the operating altitude, be equipped with electro-optical and infrared cameras, and have electronic and communication intelligence payloads. It should also be able to work at night or in low visibility conditions.
Top Contenders For Supplying The IAF
As the EurAsian Times reported earlier, Indian firm Veda Aeronautics has partnered with the UAE-based Mira Aerospace to manufacture an India-specific HAPS. Through this collaboration, Mira Aerospace will bring its cutting-edge ApusNeo HAPS technology to India by utilizing VEDA Aeronautics’ local development capabilities.
The two companies have already performed test flights in Indian airspace, where the technology demonstrator HAPS unit flew in the Indian stratosphere. VEDA Aeronautics will be developing the HAPS under the Make-1 project launched and funded by the Indian Air Force (IAF). The HAPS under the project will be capable of carrying a minimum 35-kilogram payload and sustaining operations at an 18,000-metre altitude for a minimum of 30-45 days.
These lightweight platforms can be controlled from a distance and communicate outside the line of sight. Because of their modular construction, they can carry payloads with a range of sensors and navigational capabilities.
The HAPS is particularly useful on the Eastern border with China, which is dotted with lofty Himalayan ranges. Its altitude gives it an advantage over traditional drones. Also, unlike satellites, where the payload is permanently deployed, the payload can be switched based on need.
The technology will be critical in future air combat. The UAV uses solar energy to travel during the day and its solar-charged battery to fly at night during the journey.
Veda Aeronautics will respond to the RFI. Managing Director of VEDA Aeronautics, Dipesh Gupta, responding to a query from the EurAsian Times, said: “VEDA and Mira are working together to offer the IAF cutting-edge HAPS on a short-term basis based on the requirements of the EOI and working behind the scenes on the India-specific design of the HAPS system, which would be a force multiplier for the Indian defense forces.”
“This collaboration would allow development of HAPS with heavier payload capacity, longer flight endurance, software compatible with our existing UAV Systems,” Gupta said, adding, “AI capabilities will be the key differentiator.”
The Indian Navy has already inked a deal with Bengaluru-based NewSpace Research & Technologies (NRT). The NRT prototype is currently under testing. As reported by the EurAsian Times earlier, NRT had achieved a critical milestone as its HAPS prototype Arka stayed afloat for 24 hours during the winter solstice flight trial. It is now preparing to demonstrate multi-day flight endurance.
The Era Of HAPS
Airbus is leading the HAPS vertical with its Zephyr solar-powered HAPS, which has completed a record-setting 67 days of flying in the stratosphere.
AALTO HAPS Ltd. (“AALTO” or “the Company”), an Airbus subsidiary based in Farnborough, UK, has set a world record for global aviation with its Zephyr High Altitude Platform Station (HAPS). Designed, manufactured, and operated by AALTO, Zephyr concluded 67 days, 6 hours, and 52 minutes of continuous flight in the stratosphere on April 28, 2025. This surpassed Zephyr’s previous flight record of 64 days in 2022 and broke the world record for longest flight duration that has stood for half a century.
In 2023, BAE Systems also conducted the first successful stratospheric test flight of its HAPS drone platform, the PHASA-35. The firm claimed that during the 24-hour flight, the PHASA-35 drone reached altitudes of over 66,000 feet, entering the stratosphere above New Mexico, and making a flawless landing.
