BT tests out high-altitude flying antenna
Through a trial funded by Innovate UK, BT and Stratospheric Platforms plan to increase 4G and 5G protection utilizing antenna know-how mounted on hydrogen-power plane.
BT Group and Stratospheric Platforms Ltd (SPL) have partnered on a trial that goals to ship cell protection utilizing pilotless, High-Altitude Platform Station (HAPS) plane. The trials, being carried out at BT’s international R&D headquarters at Adastral Park, will take a look at how one can get protection to the hardest-to-reach areas.
The trial, primarily based on 5G HAPS communications, will contain putting SPL’s phased array antenna on a excessive constructing (simulating a high-altitude platform), to check its interplay with BT’s 5G safe structure, connecting with its Open RAN testbed. BT and SPL purpose to trial the system with a number of consumer teams and completely different potential use circumstances, concurrently on the identical community. The know-how might be used to supply communications infrastructure sectors working in distant areas resembling transport, maritime safety and search and rescue.
SPL’s antenna know-how gives 4G and 5G connectivity direct to shopper smartphones. The firm mentioned its phased array antenna, utilizing 500 individually steerable beams, is ready to ship cell broadband of as much as 150Mbps throughout an space of as much as 15,000 sq. kilometres, which is equal to the typical footprint of 450 terrestrial masts.
BT and SPL mentioned the phased array antenna and the flight platform powered by hydrogen present sustainable 4G and 5G connectivity to massive areas from the skies, eradicating the necessity for extending costly terrestrial infrastructure in distant areas.
Tim Whitley, managing director of analysis and community technique at BT Group, mentioned: “We’re delighted to be partnering with SPL to start realising the huge potential of HAPS aircraft to further strengthen our UK 4G and 5G network technology leadership. This highly innovative and transformative project has the potential to further enhance our UK 4G and 5G footprint, which is already the largest and most reliable in the UK, to connect unserved rural areas and enable exciting new use cases for private users.”
Richard Deakin, CEO of SPL, mentioned: “The SPL team is excited to be working with BT Group to further advance its breakthrough UK-developed technology. This partnership will build further on SPL’s world-first 5G demonstration from the stratosphere achieved in 2022. With BT, we’re pleased to continue our journey supporting the UK to become a science super-power.”
The BT/SPL trial is amongst various initiatives geared toward tackling rural broadband utilizing progressive know-how.
Satellite broadband gives one other strategy for shoppers and companies. In December 2022, the federal government formally launched a trial that can see the extent to which satellites can be utilized to ship high-speed connections to greater than a dozen “very hard-to-reach” places.
Earlier this month, Spaceport Cornwall was used within the failed try to launch the Virgin Orbit LauncherOne beneath the wings of a transformed Boeing 747-400 plane. The purpose was to fly the plane to a delegated drop zone for its scheduled launch. However, resulting from a technical failure, the Virgin Orbit LauncherOne car was unable to finish its mission to place the Start Me Up satellite tv for pc into last orbit.
