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New Zealand Will Become a Testbed for Airbus Unmanned Aircraft and Space Technology

(Image source: Airbus)

Airbus has entered into an agreement with New Zealand’s Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) to develop capability in the country’s emerging unmanned aircraft (UA) and space data technology sectors. The letter of intent sets out a commitment by Toulouse, France-based Airbus to seek opportunities for testing and trialing its UA technologies in New Zealand and to work together to support the development and adoption of new and innovative space data technologies and applications.

The agreement was facilitated by MBIE’s Innovative Partnerships program which was established to help research and development (R&D) intensive businesses connect, collaborate, and innovate in New Zealand.

Research, Science, and Innovation Minister Megan Woods welcomes the agreement.

“Airbus has committed to collaborate on innovation challenges that combine UA and space data technologies. These challenges will generate solutions for real problems, catalyze innovation, and increase our R&D capabilities in UAs and space data technologies and applications,” says Minister Woods. “Airbus is already building strong connections within our innovation and space ecosystems, including a recent agreement that establishes the Centre of Space Science Technology in Alexandra as the primary provider of Airbus satellite data and products in New Zealand.”

Airbus’s current public-private partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA) on the SpaceDataHighway represents a step change in the speed of ultra-broadband lasers communications. Current SpaceDataHighway data speeds are around 1.8 gigabytes per second – up to 40 terabytes per day – between Earth observation satellites, airborne platforms, and the International Space Station (ISS).

The company also recently wrapped up an advanced drone swarm technology demonstration over the Baltic Sea. Airbus’ swarm of unmanned Do-DT25 aircraft provided situational awareness to a manned aircraft while leveraging automatic guidance, navigation, and control.

“Attracting R&D investment and activity in areas like new space and advanced aviation technologies are key priorities for Innovative Partnerships as there is huge potential for New Zealand to be at the forefront of these rapidly developing sectors,” continues Woods.

Earlier this month, Zephyr Airworks credited the Innovative Partnerships program as part of the reason they are collaborating with Air New Zealand to deploy autonomous, all-electric Cora air taxis in the country.

William Kucinski  is content editor at SAE International, Aerospace Products Group in Warrendale, Pa. Previously, he worked as a writer at the NASA Safety Center in Cleveland, Ohio and was responsible for writing the agency’s System Failure Case Studies. His interests include literally anything that has to do with space, past and present military aircraft, and propulsion technology.

Contact him regarding any article or collaboration ideas by e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Topics:
Aerospace Aircraft Aircraft Automotive Aviation Avionics Big data Connectivity Data Acquisition Data acquisition and handling Data exchange Defense Electronics Real-time data Satellite/Spacecraft Communications Satellites Spacecraft Spacecraft Surveillance Surveillance and Security Thermal Imaging Equipment Unmanned Air Vehicles/Systems (UAV/UAS) Unmanned aerial vehicles Vehicles

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    Transcript

    00:00:07 the space data highway is no longer science fiction the space data highway services are based on the capability to transfer information from earth observation satellites to an e DRS relay geostationary satellite through a high precision laser link the 1.8 gigabits per second high data rate enables high volume data transfer

    00:00:36 to the ground in near real-time without space data highway the user must wait for the observation satellite to fly over its ground station which typically involves a 90 minute delay and 10 minute visibility window with space data highway the user can benefit from direct data download with a 45 minute visibility window this makes it possible to get near

    00:01:05 real-time communication which can be a critical asset for many European agencies and NGOs has been identified for such quasi real-time data in the case of pollution of oceans and another application that is of great interest to us and for which we have high expectations is the case of Emergency Management and here when there are natural

    00:01:31 disasters or even outside Europe humanitarian crisis graphic action is required every minute counts and rapid access to the data is important after a disaster hits a certain area like IOT last weekend we need immediately information this is necessary as food and water for those who are confronted with the disaster on the spot an ogre population in need

    00:01:56 needs proper reaction from the Red Cross Society on the spot therefore we need satellite imagery in real time and this is really necessary for our future in disaster relief worldwide answer as more than 10 years of experience in providing near real-time Earth Observation information in support to a wide range of operational activities from initial activities with clean sea net for all

    00:02:19 spill monitoring to recently with Copernicus for free time safety fisheries control in law enforcement the agency delivers information that allows its users to act fast for example to catching a polluting vessel red handles or to allow the interception of a ship involved in drug trafficking EDRs will enable the agency to expand these capabilities outside of Europe

    00:02:43 we're currently satellite monitoring is done with some delays in the future with a launch of additional VRS satellites these capabilities can even be expanded globally to the benefit of all European Member States the space data highway services can be utilized for low Earth orbit satellites and airborne platforms further enhancing earth observation and high bandwidths secured communications

    00:03:07 applications EDRs a was launched in January 2016 and starts operational service today edie RSC will be launched in 2017 and global coverage will start in 2020 space data highway improving mission flexibility reactivity and productivity [Music]

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