Tokyo, Japan – Japan is poised to become a leader in airborne communications by building its first “space-based communications base station” (sky base stations). Full service is expected as early as 2026, pending the completion of necessary regulatory reviews. The project aims to enhance communications in mountainous, remote, and disaster-stricken areas. Plans also exist to export this technology to Africa.
Base stations in the stratosphere
The Nikkei Shimbun reported today that Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has begun developing an operational system for airborne base stations. These stations are installed on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that fly in the stratosphere. The aircraft fly at altitudes ranging from 10 to 50 kilometers.
Key points about technology
Wide range: Skybase stations can cover a communication area with a diameter of up to 200 kilometers. In comparison, ground base stations cover an area of up to 10 kilometers.
Speed and flexibility: This technology enables high-speed, high-capacity communications. It also allows for the rapid deployment of drones to disaster-stricken areas immediately after a disaster.
Disaster support: Drone cameras can be used to collect accurate images of damage in disaster areas.
Full service to begin in 2026
The Ministry of Interior and Communications plans to revise the implementation decree to determine the operating altitude of mobile phone towers. The altitude will be between 18 and 25 kilometers above ground level. This amendment is expected to be implemented in March of next year.
Major Japanese mobile operators, such as SoftBank and NTT Docomo, are pushing to accelerate this project. SoftBank successfully conducted the world’s first 5G connection between an airbase station and the ground in 2023.
Eyes on Africa
Japanese companies also see this technology as an opportunity for global expansion, especially in emerging markets:
NTT Docomo conducted a communications test in Kenya last February. Africa, with its limited internet infrastructure, is considered a promising market for exporting its terrestrial and sky stations.
Operational challenges
Despite technological advancements, challenges remain for the project. The most significant is the difficulty of launching drones in windy, rainy, and turbulent conditions. Furthermore, improving the efficiency of solar power generation is crucial. Solar power is used to operate drones in high-latitude regions where sunlight is limited.
The new service is expected to provide a stable communications network in areas where establishing traditional networks is difficult, such as mountainous regions and remote islands.
