- Anticipating the 6G period, SoftBank Corp. goals to construct next-generation telecommunications community with 3D structure
- SoftBank Corp. makes fairness Funding in U.S.-based Sceye, a developer of lighter-than-air (LTA)-type HAPS car
SoftBank Corp. (TOKYO: 9434, President & CEO: Junichi Miyakawa, “SoftBank”) at present introduced that it plans to launch pre-commercial Excessive Altitude Platform Station (HAPS) stratospheric telecommunications companies in Japan in 2026. As a part of this initiative, SoftBank made an fairness funding in Sceye, Inc. (Founder and CEO: Mikkel Vestergaard Frandsen, “Sceye”), a New Mexico, U.S.-based firm that develops lighter-than-air (LTA*1)-type HAPS autos. SoftBank additionally signed an settlement with Sceye on June 20, 2025, that provides it unique rights to offer HAPS-based companies in Japan utilizing Sceye’s platform. Along with its ongoing program to develop a heavier-than-air (HTA*2)-type HAPS car, SoftBank will newly make the most of LTA-type autos to speed up the commercialization of HAPS-based telecommunication companies. By offering HAPS-based industrial companies, SoftBank goals to construct a next-generation telecommunications community with 3D structure to help secure and dependable connectivity for drones and uncrewed aerial autos (UAVs) within the 6G period, along with offering telecommunications companies throughout large-scale disasters when terrestrial networks are disrupted.
Sceye is a number one aerospace firm specializing in HAPS to attach folks and shield the planet. Sceye’s HAPS platform makes use of the buoyant drive of helium, a gasoline lighter than air, to stay airborne for lengthy durations. Having accomplished greater than 20 profitable check flights, Sceye is collaborating with U.S. state governments and personal enterprises. Sceye’s HAPS resolution goals to offer connectivity to underserved areas, allow real-time detection and response to weather-related disasters, and help superior environmental monitoring, all to contribute to a greater future for folks and the planet.
HAPS, additionally known as “base stations within the sky,” function within the stratosphere at an altitude of roughly 20 km to offer wide-area communications protection. Whereas typical cell networks have centered on 2D protection for smartphones and autos, the approaching 6G period will demand telecommunications infrastructure with 3D architectures to help connectivity for drones and UAVs within the sky. Recognizing HAPS as a important element of 6G infrastructure early on, SoftBank first started growing HAPS applied sciences in 2017 and has since led the business in researching and growing a large-scale HTA-type HAPS car and associated applied sciences. By partnering with Sceye, which focuses on LTA-type HAPS, SoftBank is advancing the industrial deployment of HAPS-based companies, and aiming to accelerating the conclusion of a next-generation 3D community.
SoftBank plans to start offering pre-commercial HAPS companies in Japan in 2026 utilizing Sceye’s LTA-type HAPS platform. These companies are anticipated to help communication restoration throughout disruptions because of large-scale disasters, comparable to main earthquakes, and ship connectivity to hard-to-reach areas, together with mountainous areas and distant islands. Leveraging some great benefits of HAPS — quicker speeds, larger capability, decrease latency, and extra versatile deployment capabilities in comparison with satellite-based communications — SoftBank will strengthen its community resilience and promote common service nationwide. SoftBank will even proceed to develop its large-scale HTA-type HAPS platform, with the intention of using it for industrial companies.
Junichi Miyakawa, President & CEO of SoftBank Corp., commented:
“As a world pioneer, SoftBank has been growing HAPS-based companies since 2017. Along with our analysis and growth for HTA-type HAPS, I’m extraordinarily happy we’ll be launching LTA-type HAPS pre-commercial companies in 2026 by our new partnership with Sceye. The stratospheric-based, extensive space telecommunications of HAPS will play a key position in increasing community space protection to areas which are tough to succeed in with present cell community infrastructure, and it’ll additionally present a way of restoring communications when large-scale disasters strike. Moreover, as we transfer towards the 6G period, HAPS can be key infrastructure to help society when 3D telecommunications networks can be wanted to help sky-based mobility. To contribute to the constructing of sustainable and extremely dependable telecommunications infrastructure that solves social points, SoftBank will proceed to develop applied sciences and conduct service checks to implement HAPS into society.”
Mikkel Vestergaard Frandsen, Founder and CEO of Sceye, commented:
“SoftBank has an intensive monitor report in non-terrestrial community applied sciences and has lengthy considered the stratosphere as the subsequent frontier to sort out urgent world points. Their funding reinforces the viability of our HAPS platform. We’re proud to welcome SoftBank as a strategic associate and look ahead to accelerating the commercialization of our companies collectively.”
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