Japan & France Back HAPS for Disaster Resilience, Commercial Projects Set
Japanese and French governments are actively backing high-altitude platform stations (HAPS) for disaster resilience, emergency communications, and defense strategies. Companies like Loon, Zephyr, and HAPSMobile are planning commercial pilot projects with stratospheric systems, set to begin between 2023 and 2025.
Stratospheric pseudo-satellites are gaining traction as demand for HAPS grows. Aalto, supported by Airbus, is preparing a commercial demonstration of its solar-powered Zephyr platform over Japan in 2026. Companies like Aalto, Sceye, and Aerostar are regularly flying HAPS test missions due to advancements in energy storage and station-keeping systems.
Commercial use cases, particularly direct-to-device connectivity, are on the rise for HAPS. Sceye CEO Mikkel Frandsen considers HAPS a viable industry, with scalable station-keeping driving value for investors. However, scaling up production and navigating regulatory frameworks remain significant challenges.
Aalto has set a record of 67 days for a continuous Zephyr flight and is seeking external partners to develop new payloads for the 'stratospace' market. Thales Alenia Space is positioning for the HAPS market with its Stratobus concept, targeting persistent surveillance and disaster monitoring. Sceye, with investment from SoftBank, plans a commercial pilot in 2023 to provide mobile broadband over Japan using solar-powered, helium-filled airships.
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