SoftBank Conducts HAPS Edge Computing Trial in Japan, Reduces Latency by Over 40%
SoftBank, in collaboration with U.S. aerospace company Sceye, has successfully completed a High Altitude Platform Station (HAPS) communications trial in Japan. This trial is a significant step as SoftBank prepares to commercialize HAPS technology from 2027. The test involved mobile connectivity between a stratospheric platform and smartphones on the ground, as well as communications with drones. A key aspect of the trial was the testing of edge computing directly aboard the HAPS. SoftBank installed mobile core functions and a web server on the platform, enabling smartphone requests to be processed in the stratosphere rather than being routed through terrestrial networks to internet-based cloud services. During this onboard processing test, SoftBank reported an average round-trip response time of 68 milliseconds, which represents a reduction of over 40% compared to latency measured when traffic was processed using a traditional internet-based cloud service. The Sceye platform, a lighter-than-air aircraft, t... 
