Loon’s work on stratosphere-based communications will live on through Softbank, HAPSMobile
In the wake of Alphabet winding down its stratospheric communications initiative, Loon, Softbank and its HAPSMobile subsidiary are picking up some of Loon’s high-altitude platform intellectual property.
Softbank says that it has acquired about 200 patents, including patents pending, for high-altitude platform stations (HAPS) from Loon. The Japanese tech giant said that the addition of those patents means that it now holds around 500 HAPS-related patents related to network technologies, services, operations and aircraft.
Alphabet announced in January of this year that it was pulling the plug on Loon, which explored the use of balloons and other aircraft in the stratosphere to provide connectivity services to connect the unconnected or for post-disaster-recovery communications. Prior to its dissolution, Loon had gathered permission to fly its balloons across dozens of countries and even struck a deal with AT&T that included its systems being integrated into AT&T’s network as a basis for emergency connectivity.
Loon and HAPSMobile had a close strategic relationship. HAPSMobile, a joint venture with California-based AeroVironment that is 95% owned by SoftBank, put $125 million into Loon in 2019, with an option to invest another $125 million on top of that. In addition, HAPSMobile and Loon worked on development of high-altitude network connectivity, resulting in milestones like an LTE video call from a solar-powered, fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle flying in the stratosphere in the fall of 2020.
SoftBank and HAPSMobile said they will use the expanded patent portfolio to accelerate preparations for commercial HAPS services and promote standardization and interoperability in HAPS through the HAPS Alliance, where Softbank is a founding member. The HAPS Alliance includes Nokia, Ericsson, Intelsat, Airbus and T-Mobile, among others.
“The sale of Loon patents is in line with SoftBank’s commitment to support the HAPS industry and find ways for Loon’s innovations and technology to live on,” Softbank said in a release.
