EASA Finalizes Report on Higher Airspace Demand in HAO Project
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has released a pivotal report on Higher Airspace Operations (HAO), detailing market developments and demand analysis. This report, produced in collaboration with EUROCAE, is a crucial step towards enhancing the regulatory framework.
Key facts
- EASA's report marks a key milestone in the Higher Airspace Operations project.
- The analysis focuses on market developments and demand for higher airspace.
- Collaboration with EUROCAE aims to standardize regulatory measures.
2 minute read
EASA’s final Higher Airspace Operations demand update signals a shift from pilots to policy. It sets clear priorities for enabling operations above conventional controlled airspace, framing the stratosphere as a managed environment for high altitude platforms, balloons, high altitude UAS and emerging suborbital activity. The partnership with EUROCAE points to a standards led approach that can accelerate certification, reduce national fragmentation and create predictable requirements for industry.
The strategic payoff for Europe is dual use. A coherent HAO framework supports resilient communications, wide area surveillance and climate services while protecting civil aviation safety and capacity. It also hardens infrastructure by adding redundancy that complements satellites and terrestrial networks. Without harmonised cross border rules on access, separation, contingency and spectrum, member states risk parallel systems that raise costs and complicate civil military coordination.
The report’s signal to defence planners and NATO is to integrate early. Shared situational awareness, common concepts of operation and interoperable command and control will matter when HAPS or high altitude UAS transit borders, enter restricted areas or operate alongside crewed assets. Aligning technical standards with EUROCAE, and operational arrangements with Eurocontrol network functions and emerging space traffic coordination, can reduce friction and speed crisis response.
Regulators now need to translate demand into scalable services, targeted test corridors and certification pathways proportionate to higher airspace risk profiles. Timely spectrum decisions, robust detect and avoid performance requirements and a federated data approach will determine tempo. Europe’s ability to operationalise higher airspace at pace will shape its deterrence, resilience and technological edge in the next decade.
