AdU STAR Lab

[CAPACITY-BUILDING]

Congratulations to our Project STArQE and CpE Department faculty members on the successful completion of the Basic Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA)/Drone Flight Training held on April 18–19, 2026 in Guiguinto and Malolos, Bulacan.

This activity is part of the capacity-building efforts of STARLab and MINERVA Lab under the DOST-PCIEERD GIA-funded Project STArQE, aimed at strengthening our competencies in drone operations, data acquisition, and field deployment for research applications.

The completion of this training marks an important first step toward securing the CAAP RPA Controller Certificate/License, while reinforcing our commitment to building technically capable and mission-ready teams.

We look forward to integrating these capabilities into our ongoing and future research initiatives.

📣 The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) announces the appointment of Engr. John Leur D. Labrador as the new Director IV of the Space Technology Missions Systems Bureau (STMSB), succeeding Dr. Marc Caesar R. Talampas who recently assumed the role of Deputy Director General for Space Science and Technology.

As head of PhilSA’s upstream bureau, Engr. Labrador will lead the development, integration, and operation of the country’s space missions—including building and testing satellites, developing space technologies, and strengthening local capabilities in satellite manufacturing and related systems.

He currently serves as Technical Lead of the MULA satellite project, the country’s largest Earth Observation (EO) mission to date. He does so with over a decade of experience in satellite systems engineering, being involved in the development of the Philippines’ first EO satellites, Diwata-1 and Diwata-2.

Prior to PhilSA, he was part of the PHL-Microsat and the STAMINA4Space Programs, including the PHL-50 Project and microsatellite bus development, and has led multidisciplinary teams across the Philippines, Japan, and the United Kingdom.

Engr. Labrador holds a Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from Tohoku University and a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Communications Engineering from the University of the Philippines Diliman.

We look forward to his leadership in advancing the country’s space technology development and strengthening the Philippine space ecosystem. 🛰️✨