The future of telecommunications could be drones – way up in the stratosphere

It has been estimated that a significant number of people across the globe do not have access to stable internet or mobile phone communications. High-altitude drones may be able to plug this gap, writes Steven Cutts

Unusually for a cutting-edge aerospace project, Zephyr has its origins in the United Kingdom (Airbus)

Lateral thinking has always been visible in technical innovation. In modern times, telecommunications have often focused on ground-based data links (such as mobile phone masts) and satellites in orbit around the Earth. More recently, several research groups have looked at the middle ground, a place that lies halfway between the Earth’s surface and the realm of outer space.

One such device is the very large, very low-density aircraft by the name of Zephyr. Unusually for a cutting-edge aerospace project, Zephyr has its origins in the United Kingdom.

For a forward-looking piece of engineering, Zephyr does feel a bit retro. It’s a device that is designed to fulfil the kind of role that we’ve come to expect from a satellite. In addition, it is far from being the only player in what has become an increasingly crowded field. Worldwide, there have been several attempts to develop high-altitude balloons and aircraft that could hover above a fixed point and provide data relay services to people on the ground.