or the First Time, Russia Transmits 5G Signal From the Stratosphere
The communications session was conducted from a special platform being developed by Russia’s Foundation for Advanced Research Projects.
One of the current priorities for the communications industry is developing stratospheric platforms. By placing equipment at high altitudes, operators can create a much wider coverage area. This is particularly useful in places without ground infrastructure or a reliable satellite signal.
Hybrid Communications Systems Are Possible
In early September, Russia successfully conducted an experiment as part of the Barazh (Barrage) project. The Foundation’s team established a stable 5G communications link between the stratosphere and Earth. The system transmitted 2K video from an altitude of 17 kilometers for 80 minutes.
FPI emphasized that the experiment demonstrated the practical feasibility of hybrid 5G networks using stratospheric platforms as pseudo-satellites. It also showed that a 5G NTN control and command link can be established between ground communications stations and unmanned stratospheric systems.
For a country as geographically vast as Russia, stratospheric platforms open up a wide range of possibilities. They could bring connectivity to areas where building extensive ground infrastructure would not make economic sense. The same equipment could also be deployed in areas affected by emergencies, providing communications when conventional infrastructure is unavailable or damaged.
Huge Potential for Deployment
Notably, FPI has been working on stratospheric communications technologies for several years.
“In the civilian sector, the market is quite broad – that is where our 5G development work began. Stratospheric communications are needed where it is difficult to deploy ground-based cellular networks, while satellite communications are too expensive or limited for some reason. In Russia, that primarily means Siberia and the Far East, where construction projects, resource development and major infrastructure routes are planned. There are also so-called zimniki [winter roads – ed. note], where communications are a particularly pressing issue. I would also point out that we launched the 5G communications project to address a separate and very important task: providing command and control for unmanned systems in those same remote and sparsely populated regions,” said Yan Chibisov, head of FPI’s Center for Aerospace Technologies.
The technology also has significant export potential. Russian stratospheric platforms could find demand in countries with large territories and challenging geography, including nations with remote regions, mountainous areas or underdeveloped telecommunications infrastructure. These systems could be supplied as turnkey solutions, with customers receiving both the aircraft and compatible telecommunications equipment. But getting there will require substantial work to demonstrate that such systems are reliable and operationally viable.
More Flexibility
Russia has been actively developing hybrid telecommunications projects for several years. The work began with tests combining satellites and ground infrastructure. In 2022, the Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC) and Skoltech tested a Private 5G communications network delivered through the Ekspress-80 (Express-80) geostationary communications satellite. The trials included transmitting and playing back 4K HDR, HLG and Dolby Vision video content, as well as demonstrating the transmission of multimedia data, voice and video to subscriber devices.
Meanwhile, the FPI team was pursuing its own research. In February this year, the first flight of the Barazh-1 unmanned stratospheric system equipped with 5G telecommunications equipment was reported. According to its developers, the platform can climb to an altitude of up to 20 kilometers and carry up to 100 kilograms of payload. Its key feature is a pneumatic ballast system that changes the flight altitude to take advantage of wind currents and move in the required direction. This allows the platform to maneuver, remain within a designated area or follow a trajectory suited to the needs of its payload.
At the same time, experts caution that stratospheric systems should not be viewed as competitors to satellites. Both are tools designed for specific tasks. Over time, they could complement each other, giving the communications industry greater flexibility.
