World First: Airbus Zephyr Site Launched in WA

Wyndham in WA's north will become home the world's first state of the art Zephyr Solar High Altitude Psuedo-Satellite (HAPS) operating base. 

The Zephyr HAPS is a solar-powered unmanned aircraft that flies at more than 65,000 feet, higher than commercial aeroplanes, that can provide a range of earth observation and communications services. 

The Premier Mark Mcgowan said it will be particularly useful in fighting bushfires. 

"It provides the services a satellite does, without having to go into space. So it's a much more affordable way of providing that sort of technology and those sorts of services," he said.

Three of the aircraft will fly out of Wyndham from March of next year.