FUERTEVENTURA, 23rd September, 2026 (WAM) — Mira Aerospace, the High Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS) subsidiary of Space42, and Telespazio Ibérica, part of Leonardo Space, have launched a wildfire-monitoring mission in Spain using high-altitude platforms.
The mission’s first flight used the ApusNeo18 HAPS model, which took off from Canarias Stratoport for HAPS and UAS on the island of Fuerteventura as part of the ISSEC project, promoted by Fuerteventura Technology Park.
The flight lasted 29 hours and reached an altitude of approximately 16,000 feet, setting two European HAPS flight records while delivering live, high-resolution video and imagery from electro-optical and infrared sensors.
Following the successful demonstration of the platform’s potential to support wildfire detection and management, a series of flights will take place throughout October.
The programme will progressively increase operating altitudes towards the stratosphere and extend the platform’s range with the aim of reaching Gran Canaria.
Khaled Al Marzooqi, CEO of Mira Aerospace, said setting HAPS flight records in Europe reflects the advanced Earth observation capabilities of the UAE-based company and the confidence placed in it to deliver critical international projects.
He added that the mission moves ApusNeo18 towards sustained deployment, combining persistent monitoring with real-time data delivery to Telespazio Ibérica and complementing satellite, aerial and ground-based data to improve emergency response.
Carlos Fernández de la Peña, CEO of Telespazio Ibérica, said the two milestones demonstrate how HAPS technology is progressing from flight validation towards longer and increasingly operational missions.
He added that the campaign opens new possibilities for strengthening wildfire prevention, surveillance and emergency response.
The mission builds on earlier ApusNeo18 testing conducted for Telespazio Ibérica, the first of its kind in Europe under civilian operational authorisation.
Flights will be conducted according to operational requirements and remain subject to permits, weather conditions and airspace availability.
According to Spain’s Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, wildfires affected more than 265,635 hectares of forest land by 17th August 2026, with 42 major forest fires recorded.
ApusNeo18 is a solar-powered HAPS designed to operate at stratospheric altitudes while carrying Earth observation payloads. Positioned between conventional aviation and satellites, it can provide persistent monitoring of specific areas and carry sensors tailored to individual missions.
For wildfire response, the system provides an additional source of real-time intelligence alongside satellite, aerial and ground-based monitoring systems.
The flights support the ISSEC project, part of a wider biodiversity initiative funded by the Government of the Canary Islands and European NextGenerationEU funds through the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism, within component 17 of the Spanish Government’s Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan.
The programme also aligns with Canarias Geo Innovation 2030, promoted by the Fuerteventura Island Council and the Government of the Canary Islands, and supports the Canary Islands Aerospace Strategy and the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities’ Complementary Biodiversity Programme, co-financed by the European Commission.
Source: Emirates News Agency