- World Mobile, in partnership with Indonesian telecom Protelindo, is launching a blockchain-powered 5G network using high-altitude, hydrogen-fueled drones.
- The drones will operate at 60,000 feet, with each unit capable of providing coverage over 15,000 square kilometers with low-latency, high-speed connectivity.
- World Mobile Stratospheric is designed to integrate into existing mobile networks to serve more densely populated areas.
World Mobile has unveiled plans for a blockchain-powered 5G network that will use hydrogen-fuelled drones to beam internet service directly from the stratosphere, in a bid to plug coverage gaps left by conventional telecom infrastructure.
The company has formed a joint venture with Indonesian telecom operator Protelindo to launch World Mobile Stratospheric, which will deploy drones at altitudes of around 60.000 feet. Each four-ton craft, with a 56-meter wingspan, can stay airborne for nine days and cover as much as 15.000 square kilometres using 450 steerable beams.
Aiming High
The firm is targeting a slice of the US$98.3B (AU$150B) sky-based communications market, which includes satellite and aerial platforms, and is projected to reach US$159B (AU$244B) by 2030, as per a report from Research and Markets.
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World Mobile already operates a terrestrial decentralised physical infrastructure network (DePin) that combines traditional telecom assets with independent providers to extend coverage into underserved areas.
Operating in the stratosphere presents engineering and regulatory hurdles. Drones must be built light enough for extended flight but robust enough to handle temperature extremes, cosmic radiation, and structural stress.
The aircraft’s sun-facing side requires heat displacement systems to prevent electronic damage, while compliance with agencies such as the FAA and EASA demands strict airworthiness standards and UAV permits.
World Mobile’s Stratospheric Play Focuses on Dense Networks
Charles Barnett, CBO at World Mobile Group, told Cointelegraph that the main difference between World Mobile and Elon Musk’s Starlink is that Starlink competes for global connectivity via satellites, targeting remote zones with no cellular footprint, whereas World Mobile Stratospheric is designed for more densely populated areas, aiming to integrate directly into existing mobile networks.
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