Breaking Boundaries: Stratospheric 5G Revolutionizes Connectivity

UK Companies to Trial Advanced Airborne 5G Connectivity

A team of UK companies, led by Stratospheric Platforms Limited (SPL), a Non Terrestrial Networks telecoms developer, has secured a contract to trial advanced airborne 5G connectivity using a Britten-Norman Islander aircraft.

Britten-Norman, the aircraft manufacturer, will provide crucial design and trials support for the project, while Marshall Futureworx will contribute cooling systems technology.

SPL is at the forefront of pioneering the concept of using a High-Altitude Platform (HAP) with an airborne antenna to provide widespread coverage of high-performance 5G from the stratosphere.

The primary objective of the project is to develop an unmanned, liquid hydrogen-powered aircraft with a 56-meter wingspan. The lightweight structure and significant power source of the aircraft will enable it to have a flight endurance of over a week.

The initial phase of the contract will involve integrating SPL's 5G airborne phased array onto a Britten-Norman Islander, with flight trials scheduled to commence in July 2024.

The turbine-powered BN2T-4S Islander variant has been chosen for the program due to its performance, payload capacity, and ease of modification to accommodate the necessary equipment. The trial will be conducted under Britten-Norman's Civil Aviation Authority test conditions.

Britten-Norman will operate the aircraft from its Solent Airport aircraft maintenance (MRO) facility, with the mission taking place over the North Sea.

The 5G phased array will be connected to the Adastral Tower in Suffolk, England, via a backhaul link. This tower will serve as the central hub for the telecommunications and mission equipment.