Diploma in Design and Operation of Stratospheric Platforms
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in the design and operation of stratospheric platforms: 8 modules covering the stratospheric environment, platform types, ultralight aerodynamics and structures, conceptual design and sizing, guidance and control, operations and airspace, and applications and viability, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in Design and Operation of Stratospheric Platforms — studying from Australia
Australia's aerospace sector spans defence and commercial aviation, maintenance, repair and overhaul, and a growing space industry. Key clusters sit around Adelaide's Edinburgh Parks and the Melbourne and Sydney defence precincts, with major employers including Airbus Australia Pacific, BAE Systems Australia, Boeing Defence Australia and Lockheed Martin Australia. Recreational and commercial drone operations are increasingly regulated, and advanced air mobility is emerging as a research and policy priority. Engineers working in this area typically support airworthiness, systems integration, structures and avionics across both crewed and uncrewed platforms.
Fees for Australia: A$2,380 (AUD), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Australia
Typical roles
Questions from Australia
Does a SEIUM qualification help me get recognised by a professional body in Australia?
SEIUM qualifications are private qualifications, not official state degrees, and they are not accredited by any Australian body. Engineers Australia accredits university engineering degrees, and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) regulates drone and aviation operations. Recognition of a private qualification is decided by the employer or the relevant body, so check with them before enrolling.
Will this course help me find work in Australian aerospace, drones or space?
Australia has aerospace and defence employers, drone operators and space-sector companies, and skills in these areas are valued. Whether a SEIUM qualification counts for a given role depends on the employer, who will usually weigh your experience and portfolio alongside any private credential. Ask prospective employers how they view it.
Can I study this part-time while working, and does the time zone suit Australia?
The programmes are fully online and taught in English, so you can study from anywhere in Australia, with no student visa needed for home study. Master's programmes total 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and specialist courses 300 hours, so plan your weekly load realistically. Fees are payable in instalments, and employer sponsorship may be possible.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Characterise the stratospheric environment and its effect on platforms.
Compare fixed-wing, airship and balloon HAPS architectures.
Apply very-low-weight aerodynamic and structural criteria.
Size a platform using mass and energy balance.
Design guidance and station-keeping strategies.
Plan launch, flight and recovery operations.
Assess the technical and regulatory viability of a HAPS service.
Who it's for
- Aeronautical design engineers moving into high-altitude platforms.
- HAPS systems engineers.
- Flight operations managers.
- Mission analysts.
- Lightweight structures engineers.
- Airborne telecommunications consultants.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to enter the aerospace sector.
What you'll work with
- Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 (EU common rules in civil aviation and EASA)
- Implementing Regulation (EU) 923/2012 (SERA) (standardised European rules of the air)
- Annex 2 to the Chicago Convention (ICAO rules of the air)
- Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 (rules and procedures for operating unmanned aircraft)
- ITU Radio Regulations (international use of the radio spectrum)
- ECSS-E-ST-10C (space engineering: system engineering general requirements)
- ECSS-Q-ST-30C (space product assurance: dependability)
- MATLAB/Simulink
- ANSYS Fluent
- XFLR5
- OpenVSP
- STK
8 modules
1.1Standard atmosphere and the stratosphere1.2Stratospheric winds and the quasi-biennial oscillation1.3Temperature, pressure and density at altitude1.4Solar radiation and ozone1.5Day-night cycle and seasonality1.6The jet stream during ascent1.7Effects on materials and electronics1.8ERA5 reanalysis and radiosondes1.9Advantages of HAPS over satellites1.10Practical: atmospheric profile for a mission
2.1Fixed-wing solar aircraft2.2Stratospheric airships2.3Superpressure balloons2.4Hybrid platforms2.5Lessons from Helios, Zephyr and Loon2.6Endurance requirements2.7Station-keeping2.8Comparison of capabilities2.9Concept selection2.10Workshop: platform selection matrix
3.1Low Reynolds number flight3.2Aerofoils for high aspect ratio3.3Drag polar and induced drag3.4Aeroelasticity and flutter in flexible wings3.5Carbon fibre composites and films3.6Airship envelopes and fabrics3.7Loads during ascent and descent3.8Minimum-weight structural design3.9Aerodynamic analysis tools3.10Lab: aerofoil analysis in XFLR5
4.1Mass and energy balance4.2Power required in cruise4.3Sizing the solar surface4.4Buoyancy and lifting gas4.5Envelope pressure control4.6Electric propulsion at high altitude4.7Multidisciplinary optimisation4.8Sensitivity analysis4.9Design margins4.10Practical: sizing a solar HAPS
5.1Flight dynamics of flexible aircraft5.2Control in strong winds5.3Station-keeping strategies5.4Balloon navigation using wind layers5.5Autopilot and flight modes5.6C2 links and redundancy5.7Flight termination systems5.8Hardware-in-the-loop simulation5.9Failure management5.10Lab: station-keeping simulation
6.1Launch and recovery6.2Ascent through controlled airspace6.3Operations above FL6006.4Coordination with air traffic services6.5Weather windows6.6Mission control centre6.7Emergency procedures6.8Ground risk during descent6.9Emerging regulatory framework6.10Case study: planning a flight campaign
7.1Telecommunications and HIBS stations7.2Persistent Earth observation7.3Emergency support7.4Atmospheric science7.5Spectrum and ITU coordination7.6Business models7.7Life-cycle costs7.8Certification and airworthiness7.9Platform sustainability7.10Case study: viability of a connectivity service
8.1Mission requirements8.2Concept and architecture8.3Preliminary sizing8.4Performance analysis8.5Operations plan8.6Risk analysis8.7Viability assessment8.8Technical conclusions8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
Training is 100% online on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so the programme fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standards and applied exercises. The working software is MATLAB/Simulink, ANSYS Fluent, XFLR5, OpenVSP and STK, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Real procedures are studied: aerodynamic analysis of low-Reynolds aerofoils, station-keeping simulation with real wind data and planning of stratospheric flight campaigns. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final project.
Standards covered: Regulation (EU) 2018/1139, Implementing Regulation (EU) 923/2012 (SERA), Annex 2 to the Chicago Convention, Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947, ITU Radio Regulations, ECSS-E-ST-10C, ECSS-Q-ST-30C.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 800 hours over 6–8 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with MATLAB/Simulink, ANSYS Fluent, XFLR5, OpenVSP and STK, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector (no university degree required), a computer able to run the software, and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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