• Premier welcomes Airbus announcement to establish innovative Zephyr solar-powered unmanned aircraft at Wyndham airfield in Western Australia
• Wyndham will be the world's first operational site for the launch and recovery of the class of unmanned aircraft known as High Altitude Pseudo Satellites
• Announcement follows Premier's March meeting with Airbus executives in the UK
• Project promises to create new jobs during its construction and operational phases 

Premier Mark McGowan has welcomed today's Airbus announcement to establish the innovative Zephyr solar-powered unmanned aircraft at Wyndham airfield in Western Australia.

The McGowan Government has been working with Airbus since February this year to support the implementation of Airbus Defence and Space's High Altitude Pseudo Satellites (HAPS) program to establish the site development at Wyndham Airport.

In March, the Premier and Defence Issues Minister Paul Papalia visited Airbus at Farnborough, while in the United Kingdom, to be briefed on the Airbus proposal and provide State Government support.

The Zephyr HAPS project is a solar-powered aerial platform that flies at more than 65,000 feet to provide a range of earth observation services and communications connectivity for people in remote areas, including for civil, military or humanitarian purposes.

Airbus will begin flights in the second half of this year.

The choice of Wyndham due to the largely unrestricted airspace and reliable weather, together with the strong support provided by the Western Australian Government, provides both a job creation opportunity in the east Kimberley and a technology advancement opportunity for Western Australia, and Australia, more generally.

The State Government has been co-ordinating support for the Zephyr project, including with the Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley and the Kimberley Development Commission, to ensure that all arrangements are in place to support the operational start of the project at Wyndham.

• Premier welcomes Airbus announcement to establish innovative Zephyr solar-powered unmanned aircraft at Wyndham airfield in Western Australia
• Wyndham will be the world's first operational site for the launch and recovery of the class of unmanned aircraft known as High Altitude Pseudo Satellites
• Announcement follows Premier's March meeting with Airbus executives in the UK
• Project promises to create new jobs during its construction and operational phases 

Premier Mark McGowan has welcomed today's Airbus announcement to establish the innovative Zephyr solar-powered unmanned aircraft at Wyndham airfield in Western Australia.

The McGowan Government has been working with Airbus since February this year to support the implementation of Airbus Defence and Space's High Altitude Pseudo Satellites (HAPS) program to establish the site development at Wyndham Airport.

In March, the Premier and Defence Issues Minister Paul Papalia visited Airbus at Farnborough, while in the United Kingdom, to be briefed on the Airbus proposal and provide State Government support.

The Zephyr HAPS project is a solar-powered aerial platform that flies at more than 65,000 feet to provide a range of earth observation services and communications connectivity for people in remote areas, including for civil, military or humanitarian purposes.

Airbus will begin flights in the second half of this year.

The choice of Wyndham due to the largely unrestricted airspace and reliable weather, together with the strong support provided by the Western Australian Government, provides both a job creation opportunity in the east Kimberley and a technology advancement opportunity for Western Australia, and Australia, more generally.

The State Government has been co-ordinating support for the Zephyr project, including with the Shire of Wyndham East Kimberley and the Kimberley Development Commission, to ensure that all arrangements are in place to support the operational start of the project at Wyndham.