Stratospheric Platforms has sky-high ambition: Provide wireless via hydrogen-powered drones

Illustration of Stratomast HAP.
Source: Stratospheric Platforms

The company puts a large emphasis on the project’s green credentials. Research and consulting firm STL Partners has projected the carbon emissions of its craft and estimates that it could reduce emissions by 10-30% in the UK. The savings would come from decommissioning four to eight thousand cell sites and using the Stratomast to replace cells that operators are planning to build. Specifically, the STL Partners report identified over 0.45 million tons of CO2 could be saved every year by using Stratospheric Platforms’ flying 5G mast, compared to ground-based installations. The consultancy also calculated that by 2035, there could be a net savings of 4.5 million MWh of energy in the UK by terrestrial networks.

Low Earth Orbit satellites are becoming increasingly popular as a way to provide broadband connectivity, but Stratospheric Platforms is taking quite a novel approach with its hydrogen-powered drones. The company has a major backer in the form of Deutsche Telekom, a major investor since 2016. It will be interesting to see if it signs up enough business to truly launch and sustain its business.

Article Topics

5G  |  Deutsche Telecom  |  drones  |  market research  |  STL Partners  |  Stratospheric Platforms  |  wireless