High-altitude Platforms for Wireless Communications

This work provides an introduction to High-Altitude Platform Stations (HAPS) technology and its applications for wireless communications. High-altitude platform stations offer a promising new technology that combines the benefits of terrestrial and satellite communication systems for delivering broadband communications to users at a low cost. They are easily deployable and easy to maintain, which is why they offer a good alternative for network operators who need to find ways to get more coverage to satisfy the increasing demand for more capacity. HAPS are usually balloons, airships or unmanned aerial systems (UAS) located in the stratosphere. An enormous interest has grown worldwide to examine their use not only for broadband communications, but also for emergency services, navigation, traffic monitoring, cellular, etc.It is a unique book focusing on emerging HAPS technology and its applications. This work: provides a thorough overview of the technology including HAPS-based communications systems, antennas for HAPS, radio propagation and channel modelling issues and HAPS networking aspects; presents various HAPS-related projects and initiatives developed throughout the world (North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific); and, features a comprehensive overview on both aeronautical and telecommunications regulatory aspects, which will affect the deployment and future developments in the field of HAPS. High-Altitude Platform Systems for Wireless Communications will prove essential reading for postgraduate students in the field of HAPS, engineers, developers and designers involved in the design and maintenance of HAPS, aerospace engineers, and communications system planners and researchers.