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SoftBank's HAPS Aircraft Achieves Stratospheric Flight in U.S. Defense Test
Source: SoftBank Group Corp

SoftBank's HAPS Aircraft Achieves Stratospheric Flight in U.S. Defense Test

Philip Lee profile image
by Philip Lee

Tokyo, Japan - SoftBank Group Corp's (9984.T) large unmanned aircraft for high-altitude platform stations (HAPS) completed a stratospheric flight test conducted by AeroVironment Inc (AVAV.O) and the U.S. Department of Defense in early August.

The aircraft, named "Sunglider," has a wingspan of 78 meters and can carry communication payloads of up to 75 kg, enabling stable provision of high-speed, high-capacity mobile communications.

The test flight, which took place in New Mexico, utilized an improved version of the aircraft with enhanced structural and functional performance compared to its predecessor.

SoftBank's aircraft development partner, AeroVironment, used the jointly developed Sunglider for this demonstration. 

The aircraft's performance met the U.S. Department of Defense's demonstration requirements, providing SoftBank with valuable insights for future development.

Junichi Miyakawa, President & CEO of SoftBank Corp, said, "We are very pleased to have verified the significant performance improvements of the Sunglider through this demonstration test and to have confirmed the high potential of this aircraft."

SoftBank aims to leverage the data from this test to improve the aircraft's capabilities further.

The company plans to accelerate its efforts toward commercialization, including challenges such as long-term flight endurance and the implementation of optical wireless communication.

The telecommunications giant initiated its HAPS efforts in 2017 and is leading the industry in research, development, demonstration tests, and standardization activities. 

SoftBank claims that Sunglider is one of the world's largest HAPS aircraft, based on publicly available information as of October 2, 2024.

Philip Lee profile image
by Philip Lee

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