The UK High Altitude Operations Analysis & Roadmap will examine how emerging activities operating at altitudes above those of conventional aviation can be introduced safely and efficiently. These include High-Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS), space launch and re-entry activity, suborbital operations, and faster-than-sound operations. The project runs from September 2026 to July 2027, and brings together operational, technological and policy perspectives to establish an evidence base for future UK regulation and policy. It will deliver:
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A baseline assessment of HAO in UK airspace and the North Atlantic Area of Responsibility, establishing the scope, definitions, operational assumptions and evidence requirements for the subsequent work
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An analysis of UK technology enablers, requirements and gaps, including a capability map, options, appraisals, and indicative timelines
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A UK policy and research roadmap for HAO
Together, these will help the CAA identify priorities and align policy and regulatory development with expected market and technology milestones.
The project builds on Egis’ existing work with the CAA in economic regulation and airspace modernisation. It also draws on Egis’ support to the ASCENT project for EASA, the European Aviation Safety Agency, which adds another layer of HAO insights to the UK context. The work will consider developments and roadmaps from ICAO, EUROCONTROL and the FAA, alongside engagement with the UK’s HAO Delivery Group.
