Stratospheric internet could finally start taking off this year – MIT Technology Review

Report on High-Altitude Platforms for Internet Connectivity and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Introduction

Approximately 2.2 billion people worldwide still have limited or no access to the internet, primarily due to residing in remote areas. This digital divide poses significant challenges to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). Recent advancements in high-altitude platforms (HAPS), including stratospheric airships and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), offer promising solutions to bridge this connectivity gap.

Background and Technological Developments

1. Previous Efforts: The Google X Loon project, launched in 2011, sought to provide internet access via high-altitude balloons. Despite its innovation, the project was discontinued in 2021 due to economic and operational challenges.
2. Current Innovations: Several companies have developed steerable airships and fixed-wing UAVs to overcome Loon’s limitations. These platforms are designed to deliver reliable internet connectivity from altitudes above 12 miles, enabling low-latency, high-speed access to remote populations.
3. Regulatory Support: The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has released guidelines for integrating HAPS into national airspace, recognizing their potential to connect approximately 8 million offline US households.

High-Altitude Platforms and Their Role in Achieving SDGs

• SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: HAPS technology represents a leap in telecommunications infrastructure by providing cost-effective, scalable internet coverage without the need for extensive ground-based installations.
• SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities: By targeting remote and underserved communities, HAPS can reduce digital inequalities, enabling equitable access to information, education, and economic opportunities.
• SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals: Collaborations among aerospace companies, telecom operators, and governments exemplify multi-stakeholder partnerships essential for sustainable development.

Case Studies: Japan and Indonesia

Japan’s unique geography, with approximately 430 inhabited islands, makes it an ideal testing ground for HAPS. Aalto HAPS, a spinoff from Airbus, has developed the solar-powered UAV Zephyr, which set a record by remaining airborne for 67 days. Zephyr will conduct connectivity trials over remote Japanese islands in partnership with NTT DOCOMO and Space Compass.

Similarly, Sceye, a New Mexico-based company, is preparing pre-commercial trials in Japan with SoftBank. Their solar-powered helium-filled airship addresses previous challenges by maintaining stable positioning using advanced avionics and battery technology.

Addressing the Persistent Digital Divide

1. Cost Barriers: Satellite internet services, such as Starlink, often have subscription fees that exceed the daily income of many in developing regions, limiting accessibility.
2. Technical Advantages of HAPS: Unlike low Earth orbit satellites that require large constellations to maintain coverage, HAPS can hover continuously over target areas, offering tailored and potentially more affordable connectivity solutions.
3. Bandwidth and User Density: HAPS can better manage bandwidth distribution in densely populated remote areas, overcoming limitations faced by satellite constellations.

Economic and Operational Benefits

• HAPS can reduce infrastructure costs by replacing numerous terrestrial cell towers with a single high-altitude platform.
• World Mobile’s hydrogen-powered UAVs aim to deliver ultra-HD video streaming to large populations at significantly lower costs compared to satellite services.
• For example, nine Stratomast aircraft could provide high-speed internet to all residents of Scotland at a fraction of the cost of existing satellite subscriptions.

Challenges and Market Outlook

Despite technological progress, the HAPS market faces challenges including slow development and competition from established satellite internet providers. Analysts project a modest market size of $1.9 billion by 2033 for HAPS, compared to an expected $33.44 billion for satellite internet by 2030.

Historical attempts by major technology companies such as Google and Facebook to deploy HAPS have been discontinued due to technical and economic difficulties. Current developers claim to have overcome these issues, but the viability of HAPS as a mainstream internet delivery method remains to be fully demonstrated.

Conclusion

High-altitude platforms present a promising avenue to advance the Sustainable Development Goals by enhancing global internet connectivity, particularly in underserved regions. Their ability to provide affordable, reliable, and scalable internet access aligns with SDG targets related to infrastructure, inequality reduction, and global partnerships. Continued testing and regulatory support will be critical to realizing their full potential and closing the persistent digital divide.

1. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Addressed or Connected

1. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
   • The article discusses innovative technologies such as high-altitude platform stations (HAPS), solar-powered UAVs, and satellite constellations to improve internet connectivity infrastructure.
2. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
   • Efforts to connect remote and underserved populations, including millions without internet access, address inequalities in digital connectivity.
3. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
   • Improving connectivity in remote islands and rural areas supports sustainable community development and emergency response.
4. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • Collaboration between companies, governments, and telecom operators (e.g., Airbus, NTT DOCOMO, SoftBank) highlights partnerships to achieve connectivity goals.

2. Specific Targets Under Those SDGs

1. SDG 9 – Target 9.c: Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries by 2025.
   • The article’s focus on expanding internet access to remote and underserved populations aligns with this target.
2. SDG 10 – Target 10.b: Encourage official development assistance and financial flows, including foreign direct investment, to regions where the need is greatest, especially least developed countries.
   • Investment in affordable connectivity technologies like HAPS can reduce inequalities in access.
3. SDG 11 – Target 11.5: Reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected by disasters, including water-related disasters, with a focus on protecting the poor and vulnerable.
   • The article mentions HAPS supporting emergency communications in disaster-affected areas.
4. SDG 17 – Target 17.16: Enhance the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships.
   • Partnerships between tech companies, governments, and telecom operators to deploy connectivity solutions reflect this target.

3. Indicators Mentioned or Implied to Measure Progress

1. Indicator 9.c.1: Proportion of population covered by a mobile network, by technology.
   • The article discusses coverage challenges and improvements via HAPS and satellite constellations, implying this indicator.
2. Indicator 17.8.1: Proportion of individuals using the Internet.
   • Reference to 2.2 billion people lacking internet access and efforts to reduce this number relate to this indicator.
3. Indicator 11.5.1: Number of deaths, missing persons and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population.
   • HAPS technology’s role in emergency communication implies monitoring disaster impact reduction.
4. Affordability and cost indicators:
   • The article compares subscription costs (e.g., Starlink vs. HAPS solutions), implying affordability as a measure of progress.

4. Table: SDGs, Targets and Indicators

Source: technologyreview.com