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French National Assembly Defence Committee: Hearing of General Alexis ROUGIER - 25th September 2025
About the “Very High Altitude” strategy and the “Air – Very High Altitude - Space continuum” ...
Heliblade: Maiden Flight Preparation Major Milestone
In early September, a major step was reached in preparation for the Heliblade's maiden flight, which remains on track for Q1 2026. Qualification tests of the Heliblade's launch and recovery operations, focusing on three critical subsystems of the Heliblade platform, were conducted in live conditions for a full week. All systems performed in line with expectations, specifications, and the behaviors predicted by simulation campaigns.
Following these tests, the Heliblade's launch and recovery procedures were refined and validated for future operations, ensuring safety, operational control, and non-destructive recovery of the vehicles. These tests further improved the stability and capabilities of the new version of the autopilot.
These achievements reflect the unrelenting dedication of X721 engineering team and its partners.Their effort and commitment are bringing X721 closer to the stratosphere.
TALK SATELLITE: Interview of Jean-Jacques Dordain
X721 Heliblade readies for Test Flight Q1 2026
Jean-Jacques Dordain, former Director General of ESA and now Chairman of the Board at X721 shared his perspective on the journay and ambitions of X721 project.
Having someone of his vision and experience guiding X721 is both an immense honor and a responsibility.
His words are a reminder that while this project began with a simple idea, it is now a collective effort aiming a real impact ...
AVIATION WEEK: Article - X721 pitches the Heliblade, a tethered-rotor platform for stratosphere use.
Named after the 72,100-ft. altitude, X721, a Dubai-based startup company created by former Airbus and Arianespace engineers, is developing a high-altitude platform station (HAPS) relying on a tethered rotor. Other companies, such as U.S.-based Devorto, have also studied that lifting concept ...
ELECTRONIQUES: Article - X721 reaches the stratosphere.
The young company X721 invents and builds new types of floating craft. This year, it's presenting its first stratospheric drone, named Helibalde ...
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- PARIS AIR SHOW LE BOURGET 2025 -
BFM BUSINESS: Interview of Pierre-Eric Lys
Heliblade, new air bet of X721 ...
Pierre-Eric Lys Founder and CEO of X721, was the guest of François Sorel on BFM Business - Tech & Co, the daily newspaper, this Tuesday, June 17.
Xavier TYTELMAN: Interview of Pierre-Eric Lys
Pierre-Eric LYS presents the Heliblade.
PARIS AIR SHOW LE BOURGET: Very High Altitude
The Minister of the Armed Forces unveils the ministerial strategy
on Tuesday, June 17
Today, at the International Paris Air Show in Le Bourget, Sébastien Lecornu, Minister of the Armed Forces, presented the strategy for the very high altitude (THA) domain, located between 20 and 100 km in altitude and defined as a new arena of conflict.
Stratospheric balloons (HAPS—High Altitude Permanent Systems), hypersonic delivery systems, sustained flight, extended range, and enhanced survivability: the THA offers decisive operational advantages.
As the geostrategic landscape grows more challenging, this gray zone between air and space is becoming a lever for superiority and a major issue of sovereignty.
The THA 2025 strategy establishes a clear framework for the armed forces’ actions in this new environment ...
- PARIS AIR FORUM 2025 -
(Sovereignties & AI)
Europe's biggest meeting place for players in the aeronautics, space and defense !
A full day featuring roundtables, debates, interviews, and keynotes, aimed at deciphering the current and future stakes of these sectors and offering effective responses to the problems and challenges of tomorrow.More Info on Paris Air Forum: https://parisairforum.fr/en
Paris Air Forum: Keynote of Pierre-Eric LYS
Pierre-Eric LYS – Founder and CEO of X721 Project
Here's a glimpse of the Forum, featuring videos of some key moments from the day.
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Paris Air Forum: Will AI reviolutionize aerospace manufacturing ?
Other Videos from the Paris Air Forum are uploaded on YouTube
Discover the invention of the heliblade at Paris Air Forum
Pierre-Eric Lys, CEO and co-founder of x721, will speak
on Friday, June 13, from 11:35 to 11:55
at Paris Air Forum - Sovereignties & IA, CNIT Forest, Santos Dumont Room
A presentation to discover the heliblade, a drone capable of long-endurance flight, both at low and very high altitudes in the stratosphere (20 km).
This presentation will be available at https://parisairforum.fr/en
AIR&COSMOS: Article - HELIBLADE : The Promises of a Stratospheric Drone.
In the wake of the New Space era and its surge in innovation, the Heliblade project is emerging ...
CNEWS: Article on the heliblade
Flight in the stratosphere, revolutionary design... Learn all about this one-of-a-kind drone developed by the company X721...
USINE NOUVELLE: Article on Heliblade
This stratospheric drone can rival observation satellites. Pierre-eric LYS, the founder of X721 has designed an ultralight drone with a groundbreaking design, capable of flying at an altitude of 20 km, to compete with ...
FUTURA: Article on the heliblade
Heliblade, a revolutionary craft capable of hovering for months at an altitude of 20 km ...
Science-et-vie: Article on Heliblade
A French stratospheric drone poised to revolutionize Earth observation.
Developed by a French startup based in Dubai, this project draws on a decade of research in aerodynamics, artificial intelligence, and biomimetics to create a craft unparalleled in the atmosphere ...
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