AALTO HAPS is a proud Platinum Sponsor of the 17th Telecom Review Leaders’ Summit. In line with this notable support, Telecom Review held an exclusive interview with CEO Samer Halawi to discuss in detail the company’s most advanced and sustainable solution: Zephyr.
Can you give us an overview of AALTO HAPS’ activities and milestones to date?
AALTO operates the world-leading high-altitude platform station Zephyr, which is transforming connectivity and earth observation capabilities from the stratosphere.
We’re a new, growing business with an asset that has a rich heritage. While AALTO was carved out of Airbus as its own distinctive business last year, Zephyr has two decades of research, design, prototyping and flying development activities.
Powered entirely by the sun while flying at 60,000+ feet, Zephyr is the most advanced and sustainable HAPS solution globally. With several technical achievements, including a record-breaking 64 days in the stratosphere, AALTO is now on the path to commercializing Zephyr.
Over the past year, we have focused on bringing this new technology to market. That has included preparing the final stages of design and testing for Zephyr, alongside developing the concept of operations and improving the efficiency of how we can do those operations.
We continue to experience strong demand in our engagement with commercial customers ahead of entry-into-service. Mobile network operators have signed Proof of Concept demonstrations with us to explore stratospheric connectivity operations, with further agreements in next year’s pipeline. They see a lot of merit in using our technology that seamlessly blends into their network to extend their coverage to rural and remote communities, improve their quality of service and solidify their competitive advantage.
We’re forging a new industry with unbridled possibilities for the telecoms sector, which values the innovation that drives our business and how our technology can blend seamlessly into their offering.
In the Zephyr-driven ‘Stratospheric Age,’ how will AALTO HAPS strengthen mobile connectivity? Which communities will benefit the most?
Even though the world feels more connected, it is staggering that 3.9 billion people have limited or no access to mobile broadband.
That’s because of a range of factors, including network coverage gaps or a lack of access to affordable services. This is due to the fact that it is not economical (and sometimes not technically feasible) to deploy terrestrial networks everywhere, especially when population densities are low. There is an urgent need to meet this strong pent-up demand in a sustainable and cost-effective way in order to bring the social and economic benefits that come with better connected communities.
AALTO’s Zephyr can help bridge this connectivity gap, especially for rural and remote areas.
Combined with a connectivity payload, AALTO’s Zephyr can act as a tower in the sky — the equivalent of up to 250 terrestrial towers — to provide low-latency 5G direct-to-device coverage.
We blend seamlessly into existing infrastructure to deliver this mobile connectivity, which is contracted and delivered through mobile network operators as customers.
MNOs are increasingly attracted to our HAPS as a way of reaching those areas they have not been able to reach with terrestrial-based services in an affordable and dependable way.
Who are your strategic partners in the Middle East? How does AALTO HAPS plan to extend its footprint to expand its service portfolio?
Our focus at this year’s Telecom Review Summit continues to be on outlining and explaining the capabilities of Zephyr and its compelling use cases.
The region is of huge strategic importance for AALTO, and we have already made substantial progress on partnerships with some of the Middle East’s major players in the connectivity space.
Earlier this year, for example, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding with stc Group, the Saudi digital enabler, to partner on introducing HAPS-based solutions to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Once we launch commercial services in 2025, stc Group will have a first-mover advantage to access AALTO’s services.
A key enabler of our roll-out of coverage, not just in the Middle East but around the world, is securing AALTOPORTS. Having multiple bases from which we manufacture our aircraft and launch and land missions will enable us to provide 365-day service globally.
We are in advanced discussions for securing our first AALTOPORT in Kenya at the start of 2024, which will be one of five or six such bases. Other locations could include Southeast Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.
In a dynamic world, how will Zephyr work alongside 5G base stations on the ground in a secure, seamless and consistent manner?
AALTO’s Zephyr is a dynamic aircraft for a dynamic world. We are part of the solution for closing the connectivity gap: flying 20km into the stratosphere with high-accuracy payloads and flexible flight modes.
Our direct-to-device services will blend seamlessly into the existing work of mobile network operators. Not only do we provide a way for the MNOs to serve under-connected or unconnected areas more economically than with terrestrial towers, but we also provide a solution where they actually make a profit by covering those areas.
And in many cases, regulators around the world require those mobile operators to provide a certain level of coverage. A lot of the MNOs are not able to live up to that requirement, for technical or economic reasons. We can help them do so.
Tower companies are an important customer group, too. What we provide them is an extension of their product portfolio. Now, they can offer their MNO terrestrial and sky-based towers, each with characteristics that are optimized for different markets or applications.
From a leadership perspective, what can we expect from AALTO HAPS as it commercially launches Zephyr into service by the end of 2025, as projected?
2024 is a pivotal year for AALTO. The new industry we are forging is gathering pace. With innovation in solar technology and battery technology coming together, Zephyr is a science project transitioning into a commercial business with connectivity as a key business segment.
Our priority next year is going to be heavy testing, facilitated by establishing our own AALTOPORTS, which will further underscore the resiliency and sustainability of the aircraft for the customers we are engaged with.
Over the next 12 months, we will also continue to progress the formal certification process with the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority and other related authorities to ensure we can fly Zephyr wherever we will operate.
As we will be offering a managed service with different connectivity and earth observation payloads, we will also work behind the scenes to ensure we deliver the offerings our customers need. Our focus has always been to demonstrate the diverse applications we can deliver for our customers, who want the best of both satellite and terrestrial services in one.
And this is just what Zephyr provides. Lightweight, cost-effective and versatile, it can lead the new frontier of connectivity. With AALTO, the future is truly stratospheric.
