Sceye and SoftBank complete stratospheric connectivity test flight to Japan

US aerospace firm Sceye and Japan's SoftBank Corp. announced the successful completion of a stratospheric connectivity test flight from New Mexico to Japan, marking a major step toward commercializing High-Altitude Platform Station (HAPS) technology. The 13-day, 15,000-kilometer mission, launched August 9, 2026, demonstrated mobile broadband connectivity to unmodified devices via SoftBank's core network, edge computing, and drone communication. The flight operated at approximately 16.5 kilometers altitude and achieved an average edge processing response time of 68 milliseconds. The test, part of Sceye's Service Trial 1 program, included emergency calls, alert messaging, and live video streaming. SoftBank invested in Sceye's HAPS infrastructure in 2025, viewing it as a scalable solution to complement ground towers and satellites for future 6G, AI, and IoT applications.