Europe's first long-range stratospheric flight takes off in Fuerteventura

ENAIRE and AESA have successfully carried out Europe’s first long‑range, high‑altitude stratospheric flight using a HAPS (High‑Altitude Platform System).

The operation was conducted in December 2025 at the “stratopuerto” of the Fuerteventura Technology Park, located within the Canary Islands’ airspace and managed by ENAIRE’s Control Centre for the archipelago, according to a press release from the air‑navigation authority.

This milestone integrates large‑scale unmanned aerial vehicles (HAPS) with commercial aviation, “guaranteeing at all times the highest standards of safety and operational efficiency.”

The flight is part of the ISSEC project, led by Telespazio Ibérica (Grupo Leonardo) together with Pegasus Aero Group in a temporary joint venture. The project aims to develop R&D &I services that deliver innovative solutions for biodiversity, security, emergency response, and other public services through the use of unmanned aerial platforms.

Technical execution was supported by the Advanced Center for Aerospace Technologies (CATEC) as the authorized operator, demonstrating “the capacity of the Spanish industry and institutions to lead the European aerospace sector.”

The launch of the Apus Neo 18 aircraft, built by MIRA Aerospace, was overseen by ENAIRE air‑traffic controllers who applied specific coordination procedures to monitor the platform’s ascent.

The mission’s goal—also involving the deployment of a free‑floating balloon from the company TAO—is to “validate the use of stratospheric platforms as critical support tools.”

ENAIRE backs the development of these technologies, which will enable real‑time data transmission to the Geoinformation Center, thereby improving emergency‑service response in forest‑fire fighting and disaster management.

With this operation, the air‑navigation manager “reaffirms its commitment to the development of the Higher Airspace Operations (HAO) concept, placing Spain and the Canary Islands at the forefront of aeronautical innovation in Europe.”