GalaxEye chief executive Suyash Singh told ET that the company tested its synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology on a subscale high altitude pseudo-satellite (HAPS) developed by the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL).
HAPS are like high-flying drones that operate in the stratosphere, offering capabilities for prolonged aerial surveillance. Using solar energy and advanced battery systems, these platforms can stay aloft for extended periods.
“At the stratosphere, SAR is a technology for all-weather, all-time imaging overcoming the challenge of cloud cover, which restricts traditional electro-optical cameras,” Singh said.
Beyond its implications for defence operations, SAR holds potential for environmental monitoring and disaster management. In a statement, an NAL spokesperson said that while the initial tests are encouraging, a series of further tests will be necessary before these platforms can be deployed for practical applications.
“There is a platform between satellite and drones, which flies at an altitude of 18 to 20 km, which was also recently tested by some of the companies such as NAL and NewSpace (aerospace and defence R&D company), which is where we tested our SAR on HAPS quite successfully,” Singh said.
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What it helps in doing is undertake surveillance and monitoring in a much better way for a longer duration of time because HAPS generally hovers at an altitude of 18 km and is good for national security, defence and disaster management purposes in case of floods etc. NAL has provided the platform for testing the sensors.In terms of investment, Singh said SAR required 50%-60% of the cost needed for a satellite-based SAR without divulging the exact monetary value.
“For domestic purposes, it can be used to monitor the state’s agriculture, other economic activities and disasters. One of the primary users of this technology will be the government. We have had a range of discussions with different people. The government would want to look at it more seriously when they get to know that we’ve tested it on a subscale prototype level. There is interest but at an early stage today,” he said.
While aircraft fly at an altitude of three to eight km, this electric platform has an endurance of two to three hours and stay put at the same place for seven days. While the batteries will discharge at night, it will be solar powered during the day and float at the desired height. It will require a payload that is super compact and much lower in size, weight and power. HAPS can only carry small payloads. The SAR was miniaturised to less than 10 kg.
