#Japan #Tokyo #SoftBank #Sceye #HAPS

Sceye and SoftBank's Groundbreaking Stratospheric Connectivity Testing

In an exciting development for the telecommunications industry, Sceye, an American aerospace company, and SoftBank Corp., a leading telecommunications operator in Japan, have successfully completed a stratospheric connectivity demonstration. This achievement marks a significant step towards the commercialization of High-Altitude Platform Stations (HAPS), which are designed for telecommunications and real-time environmental monitoring.

The first mission, known as Service Test 1 (ST1), was launched from New Mexico on August 9, 2026, and covered over 15,000 kilometers across the stratosphere in just 13 days. Upon reaching Japanese airspace, Sceye’s platform demonstrated its capability to deliver high-speed mobile connectivity to standard devices via SoftBank’s central network. This mission also validated critical edge computing capacities and established the feasibility of HAPS-based communication with drones. The successful execution of this test is expected to support the development of a 3D communication network.

Mikkel Vestergaard Frandsen, the founder and CEO of Sceye, stated that this flight is a pivotal moment for the company and HAPS. He noted, "This transpacific flight showcases the required performance to turn the stratosphere into a viable infrastructure layer, realizing the future of AI, edge computing, and 6G technology. Together with SoftBank, we are going beyond mere technology validation to illustrate how Sceye can complement and extend existing networks, providing large-scale, permanent connectivity."

One of the key advantages of the stratosphere is its excellent vantage point – it is close enough to Earth to facilitate high-speed connectivity and observation, yet high enough to cover vast areas. Unlike satellite systems, which often incur massive costs and logistical challenges, Sceye’s HAPS operate at approximately 16.5 km altitude, providing performance akin to geostationary satellites but with significantly reduced operational costs.

In 2025, SoftBank invested in Sceye’s stratospheric infrastructure, recognizing HAPS as a scalable solution that complements terrestrial antennas and satellite constellations. This strategic partnership aligns with a shared vision of utilizing HAPS and Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) as transformative infrastructures to enhance connectivity, support disaster communication, and enable the development of future applications in AI, IoT, and edge computing.

During the ST1 mission, Sceye delivered its unique SceyeCELL technology, a “relay antenna in the sky” designed to provide mobile high-speed internet access directly to devices from the stratosphere. Once fully deployed, a Sceye HAPS is designed to cover an area equivalent to approximately 500 terrestrial relay antennas. Throughout the ST1 mission, high-definition mobile connectivity was demonstrated, including SMS capabilities, voice calls, internet access, and video streaming.

Significantly, the mission also focused on emergency call systems, creating a messaging platform to alert users during large-scale disasters, in addition to facilitating communication with drones. During its 13-day journey, the ST1 operated within Japanese controlled airspace for over seven days, offering reliable communication performance comparable to terrestrial networks while minimizing radio interference with ground stations.

The onboard server facilitated direct data processing on the HAPS, achieving an average return latency of 68 milliseconds—a 40% reduction compared to traditional cloud processing via the internet. This successful trial is noted as a world-first, showcasing the effectiveness of HAPS in supporting complete mobile network operations and processing tasks onboard.

As of this report, the ST1 is still in flight, returning to the United States while passing over the Pacific Ocean. Junichi Miyakawa, president and CEO of SoftBank Corp., emphasized the importance of this mission: "Our goal at SoftBank is to establish a next-generation communication infrastructure that optimally connects Earth, sky, and space. Successfully providing the first experimental services from the stratosphere in Japanese airspace is a pivotal achievement towards commercializing HAPS, central to our vision."

The ST1 mission builds upon Sceye’s previous Endurance program, where the HAPS SE2 traveled over 10,000 km from New Mexico to Brazil, successfully demonstrating long-duration flight capabilities in preparation for ongoing service tests, with the ST1 being the first flight directed towards Japan.

Founded in 2014, Sceye is at the forefront of the HAPS industry, dedicated to developing stratospheric technologies aimed at connecting people and protecting the planet. With its innovative approach to universal connectivity and resource management, Sceye is poised to redefine the future of communication.

For further inquiries, please contact Sceye directly at [email protected]