UAS Flight Test
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about near-space flight testing for stratospheric UAS payloads bound for HAPS, HALE, and high-altitude balloon platforms.
Yes. A high-altitude balloon carries your payload to 60,000–100,000 ft — the operating band of HAPS and HALE platforms. You get real RF propagation and environmental data in the actual operating environment, without the cost and complexity of flying the aircraft. We qualify the payload, not the airframe.
HAPS and HALE platforms operate at 60,000–80,000 ft. StratoStar's IFS service sustains altitude at exactly this range for 3–6 hours — the same thermal, pressure, and RF environment your payload will experience in operation.
Flying the aircraft introduces airframe variables, far higher cost, and far more build effort. A balloon flight isolates your payload — you learn exactly how your sensor, datalink, or power system behaves at altitude before it rides a multi-million-dollar HAPS or HALE platform. We qualify the payload, not the airframe.
Very. HAPS and HALE platforms operate at 60,000–80,000 ft for extended durations. StratoStar's IFS provides the exact qualification environment — same altitude, same thermal conditions, same atmospheric pressure — at a fraction of full airframe cost, with live two-way commanding throughout.
The Mission Package: environmental characterization (temperature, pressure, altitude profile), your payload's telemetry, photography and video, and an engineering report. Hardware is returned within 72 hours of landing.