HAPSMobile and Loon
First in the World to Deliver LTE Connectivity
from a Fixed-Wing Autonomous Aircraft in the
Stratosphere
SoftBank Corp.’s HAPSMobile
Inc. and Alphabet’s Loon LLC (“Loon”) announced
they successfully tested their jointly developed
communications payload in the stratosphere on
HAPSMobile’s “Sunglider,” a solar-powered
unmanned aircraft system (UAS). Taking place
during Sunglider’s first stratospheric test
flight at Spaceport America (SpA) in New Mexico
on September 21 MT, the test marked the world’s
first successful delivery of LTE connectivity
from a fixed-wing High Altitude Platform Station
(HAPS) autonomous aircraft in the stratosphere.
The stratosphere-ready
payload used in the test flight was a
first-of-its-kind for a fixed-wing, autonomous
aircraft-based HAPS to deliver LTE connectivity.
Using MIMO technology, the payload enabled LTE
connectivity to be delivered continuously for
approximately 15 hours during Sunglider’s test
flight. The payload performed as planned in the
demanding conditions of the stratosphere, where
wind speeds reached greater than 58 knots
(approximately 30 meters per second) and
temperatures were as low as -73 degrees Celsius.
During the test, the
communications payload enabled a video call
between Loon members and AeroVironment, Inc.
(“AeroVironment”) team members with smartphones
at SpA and HAPSMobile team members in Tokyo. The
test system was composed of a service link from
Sunglider using the 700MHz spectrum band (LTE
Band28) and a feeder link between the aircraft
and a ground gateway using millimeter wave
spectrum*. Since the radio waves transmitted and
received by Sunglider operate on the same
frequencies as existing smartphones and devices,
Loon and AeroVironment members in SpA were able
to use regular smartphones to participate in the
video call. During the test flight, smooth
operations and connection speeds enabled
high-definition, low-latency video calls.
*
The service link used a 5MHz band of the
700MHz spectrum band for this test. In addition
to an outdoor environment, the video call test
was successful indoors.
HAPSMobile and Loon First
in the World to Deliver LTE Connectivity from a
Fixed-Wing Autonomous Aircraft in the
Stratosphere
Vint Cerf, recognized as
one of the “Fathers of the Internet” and VP and
Chief Internet Evangelist, Google, LLC, and Jun
Murai—known as the “Father of the Internet in
Japan” and Professor at Keio University’s
Faculty of Environment and Information Studies,
and HAPSMobile External Director—also joined the
video call and discussed HAPS’ significance for
the future of the Internet.
During the test flight,
HAPSMobile also conducted basic measurements of
stratosphere-to-ground radio wave propagation
data that will be used toward future
contributions to the ITU Radiocommunication
Sector (ITU-R) with a view to international
standardization. With the valuable data and
learnings that the teams collected during this
test, HAPSMobile and Loon will be collectively
working with ITU, 3GPP, regulators and telcos to
further the already in progress work on HAPS.
The test also provided insight into how HAPS
could be used in disasters and alongside other
lifesaving technologies.
Junichi Miyakawa,
Representative Director & CTO of SoftBank Corp.,
and also President & CEO of HAPSMobile, said, “I
am thrilled that our wireless communications
equipment jointly developed with Loon exceeded
our expectations in severe high-altitude
conditions. Through this test we’ve obtained
vital data that will accelerate the development
of commercial services and improve the coverage
and quality of our HAPS connectivity. We look
forward to further developing the payload with
Loon so we can revolutionize mobile connectivity
and bridge the world’s digital divide.”
Loon’s CEO Alastair
Westgarth said, “This successful test represents
yet another step to develop a new layer of
connectivity based in the stratosphere. It is
also an important step in our ongoing strategic
partnership with HAPSMobile. By developing
technologies to harness the opportunity of the
stratosphere, we are making progress toward our
shared goal of connecting unconnected and
under-connected populations around the world.”
Vint Cerf, VP and Chief
Internet Evangelist, Google, said, "I had the
privilege of participating in a milestone
demonstration on September 21. A HAPSMobile
solar-powered Sunglider aircraft flew to over
62,000 feet carrying a Loon LTE base station.
That floating, stratospheric base station
connected a mobile phone to the Internet where a
four-way, high resolution video conference
ensued. Participants in the video call were in
New Mexico, Tokyo, Mountain View, California and
Washington, DC. This technology holds great
promise for the future of connectivity,
especially as part of efforts to expand internet
access to places that don’t yet have it.”
Jun Murai, Faculty of
Environment and Information Studies Professor at
Keio University, and also HAPSMobile External
Director, said, “Using the stratosphere for the
mobile Internet is going to be the next most
innovative challenge, and it will add to the
existing and achieved innovations of the
Internet. It was my honor to participate in this
historic trial of Internet-based video
conferencing among multiple points using
HAPSMobile’s Sunglider, which was actually
flying in the stratosphere. The result was a
perfect success, making very strong impressions
on everybody with high-resolution, smooth video
and practically no latency, which made for
exciting and natural conversations. HAPS
technology is greatly needed by all of us for
natural disaster recovery and Internet
inclusion, which are key missions of the
Internet today. The Internet is for everyone,
everything and everywhere. Now we step forward
to achieve this dream.”