BT Group and Stratospheric Platforms trial HAPS aircraft based 4G/5G coverage in remote areas

BT Group and Stratospheric Platforms Ltd have joined forces for mobile coverage trial at BTโ€™s Adastral Park facility. This new antenna technology seeks to provide 4G and 5G from the air in an effort to unlock connectivity for hard-to-reach areas with cost-efficient sustainability.
BT Group and Stratospheric platforms trial HAPS aircraft based 4G/5G coverage in remote areas

BT Group and Stratospheric Platforms Ltd (SPL) announced that they would be conducting trials of a state-of-the-art antenna technology mounted on High Altitude Platform Stations (HAPS) aircraft. The trial is going to take place at Adastral Park – the global R&D base for BT – with the aim of providing broadband service even in remote locations which previously seemed out of reach.


Thanks to Innovate UK’s funding, this project has the potential to offer remarkable opportunities for industries that work in distant regions, such as transport, maritime security and search & rescue. It could bring faster and smoother connectivity directly through consumers’ mobile devices no matter how far away they are located.

UK network infrastructure can be extended with the deployment of HAPS solutions, and it could also act as a reliable backup for terrestrial networks in urgent situations like disaster relief or humanitarian aid. Moreover, its uses are broad, from remotely monitoring industrial sites to ensuring efficient operations on farms โ€“ offering countless opportunities for optimization.

With SPL’s advanced antenna technology, users can enjoy seamless 4G and 5G access directly on their smartphones. The phased array antenna is capable of providing speeds up to 150Mbps over an area measuring 140km or 15,000 square km – equivalent in size to 450 terrestrial masts, via 500 individual steerable beams.

HAPS offers not only exceptional performance and wide-area connectivity but also incredible cost efficiency and energy savings. With the phased array antennae and an aircraft fueled by hydrogen, sustainable 4G and 5G connections can be provided over vast areas from the sky – thus eliminating any need to construct expensive terrestrial infrastructure in far-flung regions.

To begin BT and SPL’s ascent to the heavens, they must first complete a secure 5G HAPS communications system trial. SPL will install its phased array antenna on an elevated structure (which serves as a stand-in for high-altitude aircraft) to assess how well it works with BTโ€™s 5G secure network architecture in relation to its Open RAN testbed. During this experiment, multiple user groups utilizing distinct use cases need to be supported at the same time across one solitary network connection.

Tim Whitley, Managing Director Research and Network Strategy at BT Group expressed his enthusiasm for their partnership with SPL: โ€œWe are ecstatic to collaborate with them in order to unlock the immense potential of HAPS aircrafts. This truly innovative project is sure to extend our UK 4G and 5G footprint, which is already higher than any other service provider in the nation. It will further boost connectivity within rural regions while allowing us new opportunities to serve private users.”

Richard Deakin, CEO at SPL, happily stated: โ€œThe whole team is thrilled to be collaborating with BT Group in taking the groundbreaking UK-developed technology to an even higher level. Joining hands with BT will further help our mission of achieving a world-first 5G demonstration from the sky that we achieved back in 2022. We look forward to supporting Britain on its journey towards becoming a science super-power.”


Recent Content

Connecting the unconnected requires more than just broadband buildout. National digital inclusion strategies focus on affordability, digital skills, devices, and sustainable infrastructure to empower all communities. Learn how federal programs, state initiatives, and public-private partnerships are reshaping broadband access across America.
The FCC has launched a formal review to modernize its satellite spectrum sharing rules, addressing outdated EPFD limits and enabling more efficient broadband delivery. The proposed changes target the 10.7-12.7 GHz, 17.3-18.6 GHz, and 19.7-20.2 GHz bands, and follow calls from industry leaders like SpaceX for reforms that support next-generation satellite networks. The initiative is expected to enhance competition and fuel U.S. leadership in space innovation.
In 2025, data centers are at the forefront of AI innovation, balancing the explosive growth of AI workloads with urgent sustainability goals. This article explores how brownfield and greenfield developments help operators manage demand, support low-latency AI services, and drive toward net-zero carbon targets.
A focus on efficiency and cost-cutting, often driven by “bean counters” and “time and motion” experts, stifles innovation and leads to job losses, mirroring the current AI discourse. Overemphasis on efficiency, like the race to the bottom, can ultimately harms everyone except the initial beneficiaries. For example, distributed energy where building new infrastructure and expanding into new sectors, like solar, generates jobs in manufacturing, installation, and new industries. Instead of solely fearing job displacement, we should prioritize investment in innovation, education, entrepreneurship, and just transition policies to create a future where progress benefits all through job creation. I advocate for strategic investment to build the future, instead of just shrinking the present.
AI promises major gains for telecom operators, but most initiatives stall due to outdated, fragmented inventory systems. Discover why unified, service-aware inventory is the missing link for successful AI in telecomโ€”and how operators can build a smarter, impact-ready foundation for automation with VC4’s Service2Create (S2C) platform.
Batelco by Beyon and Nokia are partnering to launch Bahrainโ€™s first private 5G network at Aluminum Bahrain (Alba). The network will drive smart manufacturing through real-time monitoring, automation, and AI-driven analyticsโ€”paving the way for Albaโ€™s digital transformation and advancing Bahrainโ€™s Industry 4.0 strategy.
Whitepaper
Telecom networks are facing unprecedented complexity with 5G, IoT, and cloud services. Traditional service assurance methods are becoming obsolete, making AI-driven, real-time analytics essential for competitive advantage. This independent industry whitepaper explores how DPUs, GPUs, and Generative AI (GenAI) are enabling predictive automation, reducing operational costs, and improving service quality....
Whitepaper
Explore the collaboration between Purdue Research Foundation, Purdue University, Ericsson, and Saab at the Aviation Innovation Hub. Discover how private 5G networks, real-time analytics, and sustainable innovations are shaping the "Airport of the Future" for a smarter, safer, and greener aviation industry....
Article & Insights
This article explores the deployment of 5G NR Transparent Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTNs), detailing the architecture's advantages and challenges. It highlights how this "bent-pipe" NTN approach integrates ground-based gNodeB components with NGSO satellite constellations to expand global connectivity. Key challenges like moving beam management, interference mitigation, and latency are discussed, underscoring...

Download Magazine

With Subscription

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

Scroll to Top