Solar-powered 5G mobile base station.

New technology using unmanned vehicles equipped with solar panels that fly in the stratosphere will provide wider internet coverage in the future.

Simulation of the design of a 5G base station operating in the stratosphere. Photo: Softbank — Simulation of the design of a 5G base station operating in the stratosphere. Photo: *Softbank*

The Japanese telecommunications industry hopes to re-establish its position on the global map by deploying airborne base stations by 2025. Called High Air Infrastructure Stations (HAPS), this technology aims to provide wider coverage using unmanned vehicles flying in the stratosphere, Interesting Engineering reported on January 1st.

Over the past few years, countries have sought to deploy 5G, the fastest wireless connection available on the market. According to data aggregator Statista, the world has over 5 billion internet users. However, internet service remains scarce in Africa, where only 24% of the population has access to the network. The difficulty in establishing base stations in remote areas is one of the reasons for low coverage. Depending on the terrain, a ground-based base station has a coverage range of 3-10 km. A large number of base stations are needed to make internet service available on a large scale.

Telecommunications companies like Japan's NTT view HAPS as a next-generation solution to address the problem and fill the gap. Similar to SpaceX's Starlink network, which provides internet service from space, HAPS can provide mobile services using solar-powered drones flying at altitudes of 18-25 km. The coverage of such a module is expected to be around 200 km.

Japanese companies plan to provide airborne vehicles, telecommunications equipment, and operational management packages to facilitate HAPS deployment. At the World Radiocommunication Conference held in the United Arab Emirates in November-December 2023, Japan proposed using four frequency bands as international standards for airborne base stations, paving the way for the deployment of standardized technology worldwide. The proposal suggests that 1.7 gigahertz, 2 GHz, and 2.6 GHz frequencies would be used globally for airborne base stations. Additionally, the 700-900 megahertz (MHz) band, intended for improving mobile services in Europe, the Americas, Africa, and parts of Asia, was also approved.

NTT has partnered with satellite broadcaster Sky Perfect JSAT to offer HAPS service starting in April 2025. The technology is expected to be tested at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka.

An Khang (According to Interesting Engineering )

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