A new platform operating from the atmosphere could provide internet services during emergencies.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sceye, a U.S. aerospace innovator specializing in High-Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS), is leading this charge. HAPS is designed to provide connectivity and environmental monitoring from the stratosphere \u2013 a layer of Earth\u2019s atmosphere.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sceye has just secured an investment from the global telecommunications giant, SoftBank Corp.<\/p>\n
This investment includes SoftBank\u2019s purchase of a pre-commercial HAPS flight in Japan scheduled for 2026.<\/p>\n
In a major disaster, such as an earthquake, this system could help restore communications. Furthermore, it will extend internet access to challenging environments, including mountains, distant islands, and other areas where standard terrestrial networks struggle to reach.<\/p>\n
\u201cSoftBank brings a wealth of experience in non-terrestrial connectivity and has long championed the stratosphere as the next frontier for solving some of the world\u2019s most pressing challenges,\u201d said Mikkel Vestergaard Frandsen, CEO and Founder of Sceye.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Powered by solar arrays <\/p>\n
Sceye has strategically chosen the stratosphere \u2013 between 60,000 and 65,000 feet \u2013 as the ideal operational zone.<\/p>\n
This unique location overcomes the limitations of the lower atmosphere and space, offering a combination of proximity, sustained presence, and broad coverage for persistent, high-quality services.<\/p>\n
As per Sceye\u2019s website<\/a>, these high-altitude platforms are designed to stay airborne for months to a full year, utilizing the buoyant force of helium.\u00a0<\/p>\n Interestingly, it can stay in the air for extended periods ranging from months to a full year.\u00a0<\/p>\n The use of powerful solar arrays and batteries powers the entire system. The solar arrays also charge high-density lithium-sulfur batteries (425Wh\/kg) for continuous operation through the night.\u00a0<\/p>\n The platform\u2019s advanced on-board electronics, including computers and sensors, diligently monitor its status and manage the power systems.<\/p>\n Being five times stronger relative to weight, it can support large payloads.<\/p>\n One of the most interesting aspects of this high-altitude platform is its ability to stay precisely within a designated operational area for extended durations. It can maintain its position even when faced with challenging wind conditions.<\/p>\n This stability is vital for the proactive monitoring and management of wildfires.<\/p>\n Moreover, the system is \u201c1500 times\u201d more gas-tight, UV-resistant, and ozone-resistant. It has completed over 20 test flights.\u00a0<\/p>\n Era of 6G internet<\/p>\n This partnership strengthens SoftBank\u2019s long-standing belief in HAPS as a transformative infrastructure.\u00a0<\/p>\n As the world moves towards a 6G era<\/a>, there\u2019s a growing demand for a telecommunications architecture to support emerging technologies like drones <\/a>and UAVs.\u00a0<\/p>\n SoftBank views Sceye\u2019s HAPS as a highly scalable solution that complements its terrestrial networks and satellite constellations.<\/p>\n \u201cLooking ahead to the 6G era, we believe HAPS will become a core infrastructure, and we\u2019re taking the lead in making this a reality,\u201d said<\/a> Junichi Miyakawa, President & CEO, at SoftBank\u2019s 39th Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (AGM).\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe stratospheric-based, wide area telecommunications of HAPS will play a key role in expanding network area coverage to areas that are difficult to reach with existing mobile network infrastructure, and it will also provide a means of restoring communications when large-scale disasters strike,\u201d Miyakawa stated.\u00a0<\/p>\n