Digital Roads in the Sky: Stratospheric Communication Networks Would Connect the Unconnected

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Connectivity is a cornerstone of today’s world – but roughly one-third of the planet’s population isn’t linked up. Bridging that gap has proven challenging, because telecoms are hesitant to invest in the infrastructure to reach remote, sparsely populated areas. One solution is to lighten the load by moving communications infrastructure into the sky, where a network of flying platforms can link remote sites to satellites or terrestrial networks. But HAPS technologies have applications and implications far beyond simply connecting rural communities. A HAPS fleet could provide vital services in the aftermath of a natural disaster, and it would do so more cheaply and effectively than satellites. Using HAPS in disaster response or to boost network capacity around major events would be a good stepping stone as the technology develops. Currently, more and more HAPSs applications are “building digital roads in the sky”. More details are available in LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/digital-roads-sky-stratospheric-communication-networks-tfdof/?trackingId=xLrLecSBxOrdpb5mPC7zUg%3D%3D