A Brisbane-based technology startup has secured approximately $1.35 million in funding from the United Kingdom's Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) to develop a new weather forecasting and flight-planning platform for aircraft operating in the stratosphere. The funding was announced on 21 September 2026 and forms part of ARIA's Enduring Atmospheric Platforms programme.

Sky Sight, a Queensland company, will use the funding to develop technology designed for High Altitude Pseudo-Satellites, commonly known as HAPS. These aircraft are designed to operate for extended periods in the stratosphere and can potentially support communications and connectivity services over large areas.

The project is focused on a major challenge for high-altitude aircraft: understanding and responding to changing atmospheric conditions. Weather at stratospheric altitudes can affect aircraft routes, energy availability and the ability of a platform to remain over a particular location. Sky Sight's proposed system is intended to combine weather forecasting with flight planning so operators can make adjustments based on changing conditions.

According to the announcement, the platform is expected to provide forecasts that are updated every 20 minutes. It will also use high-resolution atmospheric modelling to provide detailed information about conditions at different locations and altitudes. The system is designed to help operators identify favourable conditions for solar energy collection as well as radio-frequency and laser power transmission.

Another planned feature is interactive four-dimensional route planning. This means the system would consider location, altitude and time when helping aircraft determine their routes. Such technology could be important for HAPS operators because these aircraft need to remain within suitable atmospheric conditions while also managing available power.

Sky Sight's work will be delivered through its UK subsidiary as part of ARIA's wider Enduring Atmospheric Platforms programme. ARIA says the programme has a total backing of £70 million and involves 18 funded teams working on technologies intended to make long-duration stratospheric operations more reliable and cost-effective.

The broader programme is examining technologies that could allow aircraft to remain in the stratosphere while delivering advanced communications services. Such platforms could eventually provide connectivity to areas that are difficult or expensive to serve through conventional infrastructure.

For Brisbane, the announcement highlights the international reach of the city's technology and aerospace sector. Sky Sight's work has previously involved stratospheric forecasting projects for organisations including The Perlan Project, BAE Systems and Kea Aerospace, according to the funding announcement.

The new project is not about conventional weather forecasting for people on the ground. Instead, it is specifically aimed at supporting aircraft and high-altitude platforms operating in a challenging atmospheric environment. Accurate forecasting could help operators determine where aircraft should fly, how long they can remain over a target area and how changing weather may affect their energy requirements.

The technology could also become relevant to future communications infrastructure. HAPS aircraft are being investigated internationally as a way of carrying communications equipment at very high altitudes for extended periods.

The Brisbane-based team will now work on developing the forecasting and planning platform as part of ARIA's programme. The initiative is one of several research projects being funded to improve the reliability of future stratospheric aircraft and associated communications technologies.