A study on the possibilities of providing signal coverage for wireless systems from High Altitude Platforms

The paper provides a study on possibilities of signal coverage for wireless systems provided from high altitude platforms (HAPs). Coverage by a single antenna forming a cell on the ground beneath the platform is considered. The presented study helps to understand that the coverage is not given just by geometry, i.e. the optical visibility to the platform is not sufficient. The key limiting factor is also the power budget requirements and the antenna. The platform altitude from 0 to 100 km is analyzed.