Bavaria based company, H3 HATS GmbH announced the first successful demonstration of 5G connectivity between a GROB G520 flying radio tower in FL450 and 5G capable smart phone.

The CITC Governor Mohammed bin Saud ALTamimi and the CEO of the Red Sea Project John Pagano during a video call from the G520 high altitude platform connected to a moving boat on the red sea.

The flight trial was run together with the Deutsche Telekom AG (DTAG) and the Saudi Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC) in the airspace of Saudi Arabia above the area of the Red Sea Project.

G520 high altitude operation in two different circles in FL450 around the area of the Red Sea project.
View from inside the Cockpit of the G520 to the Red Sea.

Video and Audio calls were established between the G520 flying radio tower in 45000 ft and a smartphone static on ground, a smartphone on a moving boat on the red sea and a smartphone in a moving car in the area of the red sea project. All test showed the possibility of telecommunication via a flying radio tower with a latency of a few milliseconds and a data rate of 80 – 100 Mbit/s. The H3 Company proved successfully that the G520 is the perfect high altitude platform for telecommunication purposes from the stratosphere. It could be demonstrated that telecommunication via a flying radio tower could be a possible future to extend telecommunication networks or to bring data connectivity in disaster or hardly accessible areas.

The operations Team of the H3 HATS at Al-Ula airport (Saudi Arabia) in front of the GROB G520 high altitude platform in traditional Arabian clothes. From left to right: CTO Frank Demmler, Board-technician Kevin Sandkötter, COO Robert Schmoldt, Pilot Martin Hinterwaldner and Software Engineer Bernhard Rimkus.
The GROB G520 shortly before the 5G flight trial above the area of the Red Sea Project.
The G520 shortly after Takeoff from Al-Ula airport.

Robert Schmoldt, the COO of the H3 HATS Company said, “We have achieved the worlds first demonstration of 5G telecommunication via the stratosphere with the GROB G520 as a high altitude flying radio tower. This is a huge milestone for the global telecommunication industry and brings HAP-systems to the next level.”

Martin Hinterwaldner and Kevin Sandkötter in front of the G520.

The H3 HATS Company develops also future HAP-systems, which can be operated autonomously in constellations. A huge goal of this development is a very high level of sustainability. This includes the development of “green” propulsion system for a future HAP-system.