High Altitude Platform System Airship for Telecommunication and Border Monitoring Design and Physical Model

This paper presents an accurate analysis of an innovative high altitude platform with an unconventional ellipsoidal shape during the most critical operation. The airship is designed accordingly to the specifications, which have been analyzed in terms of the required CONOPS (Concepts of Operations) which are associated with the proposed High Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (HAPS) technology and special operations and to analyze the operational scenarios. An innovative cruiser feeder system is defined and studied. The CONOPS includes communications relays, support of intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition monitor “mobile targets”, and reconnaissance, including long-range ISTAR missions performed by the feeder, combining satellite vision and HAPS vision for a forest fire, disasters, naval accidents, maritime and ground borders. The paper realizes a multidisciplinary analysis that allows creating the design of the HAPS, referring to both cruiser and feeder in different operative scenarios. It is expected to produce the preliminary basis for a future digital twin based design to generate the best possible configuration by mean of implementing multiphysics simulations. Structured object-oriented design processes involve developing several different system models and configurations. The modular design of the core modules is necessary for both ensuring the adequate performances, the capability of satisfying the operative necessities which have been defined by the CONOPS and fulfilling the requirements.