Two APAESO airplanes (Autonomous Flying Platforms for Atmospheric and Earth Surface Observations) carried out their maiden flights on October 5 and 6, 2010. With the able assistance of two Norwegian colleagues (Espen Torp and Kjell Sture Johansen) the planes were tried for the first time at an airfield near Kotsiatis (close to Nicosia). Both platforms performed flawlessly.

One of the airplanes on its first flight (left), and the APAESO team on the airfield landing strip (right).

Major scientific objectives of APAESO comprise the acquisition of data on (i) the 3D structure and characteristics of the lower (ca. five km) layer of the atmosphere (meteorological parameters, concentrations of atmospheric trace components, pollution, aerosols and dust particles and the assessment of atmospheric dynamics) and (ii) on various 2D properties of the Earth’s surface (land and ocean surface properties and topography, contaminant deposits, vegetation and land-use properties, ocean currents and waves and archaeological artifacts and structures). This will enable significant advances in our understanding of the environment in Cyprus and ultimately in projecting future changes. APAESO will complement and improve existing and planned research infrastructure and will enable the involvement and cooperation of a variety of institutions in Cyprus, thus maximizing its use for the Cyprus research and governmental community.

The next steps in the project will be to install avionics components in the planes (autopilots) and start flying them autonomously. This will be followed by the installation of specialized scientific instrumentation and first scientific missions.

The APAESO project is supported by a grant from the Cyprus Research Promotion Foundation (ΝΕΑ ΥΠΟΔΟΜΗ/ΝΕΚΥΠ/0308/09). More information can be found on the APAESO Project Page.