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August 23rd, 2023
The advent of Earth observation has revolutionised our understanding of the planet and its dynamic processes. With steady advancements in technology, we now have a vast array of tools, from satellites to balloons, to near-surface drones and high-altitude platforms. These eyes in the sky provide massive amounts of data every minute of every day. This […]
July 17th, 2023
On July 7th, 2023, it was a frosty morning to set up for a special flight test at the Tāwhaki Aerospace Research Centre at Kaitorete, 50 minutes out of Christchurch. This was not just any flight test but the culmination of months of research and development that required meticulous planning. It was Kea Aerospace’s first […]
May 15th, 2023
The age of aviation began in the early 20th Century, building the foundation for the exploration of the skies. The journey started with flights only several feet into the atmosphere, and steadily, over decades, we have taken incremental steps to reach its upper reaches, with a few specialist and experimental aircraft now operating at the […]
April 27th, 2023
The Kea Atmos has completed four successful test flights from March through April this year. We are on course for a stratospheric flight attempt later this year. The Audi electric launch vehicle has attracted some attention throughout the aviation and electric world. Here are a few media mentions: Aviation Week UASweekly.com Interesting Engineering Electrek Find […]
April 11th, 2023
Kea Aerospace used an electric Audi launch vehicle for the “Kea Atmos Mk1” aircraft. After reaching takeoff speed, the solar-powered aircraft is released for flight testing. A huge thank you to Archibalds Audi for using their smooth and stunning “Audi e-tron Sportback S line”.
March 9th, 2023
New Zealand’s first solar-powered stratospheric aircraft has been built and flight testing has commenced. This aircraft will be a game-changer for collecting high-resolution aerial data for applications such as extreme weather events, environmental monitoring and precision agriculture. The “Kea Atmos Mk 1” will be used for stratospheric flight testing. It has a wingspan of 12.5 […]
January 16th, 2023
What comes to mind when you think of solar power? Is it using solar panels on your home, or maybe something smaller scale, like powering your small outdoor lights? Here at Kea Aerospace, we’re currently developing a solar-powered aircraft that can fly in the stratosphere continuously for months at a time. However, solar power has […]
October 21st, 2022
Kea Aerospace’s most recent stratospheric balloon flight proved three critical things: tech development, completing a student project and that “Kelly the Kea” is officially now a stratonaut. The flight reached an altitude of over 100,000 feet, that’s 30+ kilometres, during Kea Aerospace’s latest high-altitude balloon launch on October 15th. Kea’s are renowned for their intelligence […]
September 7th, 2022
The design of New Zealand’s first stratospheric aircraft has been finalised and construction is well underway, Christchurch-based Kea Aerospace has confirmed. The solar-powered “Kea Atmos Mk 1” will be used for high altitude flight testing. It has a wingspan of 12.5 metres and weighs under 40 kilograms. Designed to fly at 65,000 feet (20 kilometres) […]
June 28th, 2022
CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND – June 28th, 2022 – Kea Aerospace, a New Zealand-based solar-powered stratospheric aircraft developer, today announced that it has joined the HAPS Alliance, a non-profit association dedicated to building a high altitude platform stations (HAPS) ecosystem that brings digital connectivity to everyone, everywhere. As the first New Zealand member of the HAPS […]
