Airborne Demonstrator Opportunities

The CEOI-ST held a 1-day Challenge Workshop on “Airborne Demonstrator Opportunities”, at the Astronomy Technology Centre at the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, on 7th October 2015. The meeting explored current platforms and opportunities, and current users shared their experience of flying a variety of payloads.

We examined how new users can access these opportunities. Regulatory matters were examined, and we asked the delegates to consider:

  • What airborne facilities are currently needed?
  • Do current opportunities cover all needs?
  • Could the UK instrumentation community benefit from a central brokering facility to enable access?

The workshop was open to all interested parties, and aimed at instrumentation groups seeking to demonstrate their payloads on airborne platforms, prior to targeting a space mission. The meeting was free of charge.

The presentations from the workshop are available through the links in the list below:

Session 1 – Platforms and Opportunities
Global Hawk - Platform and OpportunitiesAndy VickSTFC ATC
NERC's Capability for the Provision of Airborne Platforms to Support UK ScienceGary LlewellynBAS/NERC
Testing on a Large Manned Aeroplane & EUFAR opportunitiesGuy Gratton & Phil BrownNCAS/FAAM/EUFAR
Small Manned & Unmanned Aircraft - Benefits & Limitations as Demonstration & Evaluation PlatformsTom WadeUniversity of Edinburgh
Session 2 - User Experiences and Issues
GHOST & Global Hawk – A Science User PerspectivePaul PalmerUniversity of Edinburgh
Stratospheric Remote Sensing from the M55 GeophysicaDaniel GerberSTFC RAL Space
N02 Sensing from Airborne PlatformsRoland LeighUniversity of Leicester
Airborne SAR Demonstrator flight trials - Challenges & OpportunitiesGeoff BurbidgeAirbus Defence and Space
Session 3 - Practicalities
Flying a Small Camera System at Airborne Research AustraliaRichard ColeUCL/MSSL
Developing & Certificating Aircraft for Use as Scientific Instrument PlatformsMichael WestBAE Systems Regional Aircraft
An Introduction to ISMAR and its Alternative Use as an Airborne Platform for Other InstrumentationIan RuleMet Office
ESA Perspective on Airborne Campaigns for EODirk SchuettemeyerESA ESTEC