Broadband communications from a high-altitude platform: the European HeliNet programme

In the present climate of growth in bandwidth-hungry telecommunication applications, wireless infrastructure providers are under continuous pressure to exploit the limited radio spectrum as efficiently as possible. In this context, high-altitude platforms (HAPs) are increasingly being cited as having an important role to play in future systems and applications. They have the potential to exploit many of the best aspects of terrestrial and satellite-based systems, while offering advantageous propagation characteristics. Such platforms may be airships or aircraft and for environmental considerations would ideally be solar powered. This paper reviews some of the studies under the European HeliNet programme-a consortium-led project to develop a pilotless solar-powered aircraft from which broadband communication services could be supported. Millimetre wave antennas and propagation characteristics are discussed in particular.