In today’s digital age, access to the internet is crucial for social and economic participation. However, around one-third of the global population, approximately 3 billion people, lack access to the internet or have poor connections due to infrastructure limitations, economic disparities, and geographic isolation. Traditional ground-based networks and satellites often leave communication gaps in remote or hard-to-reach areas, where setting up infrastructure would be too costly.
To address this issue, high-altitude platform stations have emerged as a promising solution. These telecommunications equipment are positioned high in the air on uncrewed balloons, airships, gliders, and airplanes. They have the potential to fill internet connectivity gaps in ground and satellite coverage, allowing more people to participate fully in the digital age.
Recent experiments have shown that high-altitude platform stations can provide high data rates and ubiquitous 5G coverage from the stratosphere, the second lowest layer of the atmosphere. These stations can support high-data-rate applications such as streaming 4K resolution videos and cover a significantly larger area compared to standard terrestrial towers.
While early attempts by companies like Facebook and Google to deploy platform stations commercially were unsuccessful, recent investments, technological improvements, and interest from traditional aviation companies and specialized aerospace startups are changing the landscape. The goal is to achieve global connectivity, a cause that has gained recognition in the World Economic Forum’s Top 10 Emerging Technologies report. The HAPS Alliance, an international industry initiative, is also pushing towards this goal.
Platform stations offer several advantages over satellite-based systems. They can provide stronger, higher-capacity signals, real-time communication, and high-resolution capabilities for imaging tasks. They are also less vulnerable to eavesdropping or jamming and have lower launch and maintenance costs compared to satellites. Additionally, platform stations can be powered by clean energy sources such as solar and green hydrogen, making them potentially less polluting than satellite mega-constellations.
In addition to improving internet connectivity, platform stations could play a critical role in emergency and humanitarian situations by supporting relief efforts and connecting Internet of Things devices and sensors in remote areas. They could also benefit various sectors such as agriculture, environmental monitoring, navigation, and disaster response through high-resolution imaging and sensing technologies.
Platform stations can be based on different types of aircraft, including balloons, airships, gliders, and powered airplanes. They can make use of diverse power sources such as solar cells, high-energy-density batteries, green hydrogen engines, fuel cells, and laser beam powering. Advancements in lightweight aircraft designs and high-efficiency motors enable longer flights and heavier payloads for platform stations.
Commercial deployment of platform stations, especially for post-disaster or emergency situations, could be in place by the end of the decade. These stations have the potential to bridge the global digital divide by increasing access to critical services, providing new economic opportunities, and improving emergency response and environmental monitoring. As technology continues to evolve, platform stations are poised to play a crucial role in creating a more inclusive and resilient digital future.
