Aircraft
UK-based Team Completes 5G Infrastructure Flight Trials
SPL is leading a British effort to develop airborne antennas
Britten-Norman Islander with connectivity
Britten-Norman Islander with an advanced airborne 5G connectivity system installed flying, Thursday 18th July 2024.

An advanced airborne 5G connectivity system has been successfully integrated into a Britten-Norman Islander aircraft after the completion of a series of demonstration flights. A group of British companies led by Stratospheric Platforms Ltd. (SPL), a non-terrestrial networks telecoms developer, is developing the technology, with UK OEM Britten-Norman overseeing the design, integration, and demonstration flights.

SPL seeks to develop airborne antennas to deliver widescale high-performance 5G coverage. The technology has various uses, such as quickly restoring networks after major disasters like earthquakes or tsunamis, where traditional mobile network infrastructure has been disrupted.