Sceye’s High-Altitude Platform System just concluded its endurance testing program, bringing this new way to connect one step closer to widespread adoption.
Read more about it on CNET.com
5G From the Sky: New Internet Infrastructure Takes Flight
0:00 Introduction to HAPS Technology
0:23 Record-Breaking Endurance Test Flight
1:45 How Solar-Powered Stratospheric Flight Works
1:52 HAPS vs. Satellite Internet: The Direct-to-Device 5G Advantage
2:23 Commercialization and Global Partnerships
2:54 Addressing the Helium Supply Question
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#technology #5g #heliumballoons #internet #tech #broadcasting #whatthefuture #Sceye
@WillyWoolyButt
April 12, 2026 at 12:25 pm
Ah my ex-London-student time employer, CBS-Technologies-Innovation CNET
@westonsaunders6460
April 12, 2026 at 12:30 pm
A new way? Nope. Google’s Project Loon was doing this 15 years ago. It was determined to be unsustainable and shut down in 2021.
@jpmkiv
April 12, 2026 at 12:30 pm
We need a ton of these in storage as a backup insurance for a Kessler Syndrome event.
@firohot5476
April 12, 2026 at 12:31 pm
Read Google had such a plan of using blimps to broadcast Internet in remote areas year’s ago
But didn’t materialise then
@sarabeth8050
April 12, 2026 at 12:47 pm
Buh bye SpaceX!
@icaru34
April 12, 2026 at 12:51 pm
How does internet get to it? Is it like a repeater for a cell tower?
@Gharial555
April 12, 2026 at 1:00 pm
My intrusive GTA 5 thoughts 😭💥
@b1r2y3n
April 12, 2026 at 1:16 pm
Oh good, highly vulnerable infrastructure seems smart. We need robust options, not something that can be brought down with a slingshot.
@mudaninarib1057
April 12, 2026 at 1:17 pm
Bye,bye Starlink 🤣
@thricegreat
April 12, 2026 at 1:38 pm
Let’s use all the helium we have! 😀
@GHOSTDRONEXXXIII
April 12, 2026 at 1:57 pm
Wasn’t it claimed helium supply was low and running out?
@jaredwhite489
April 12, 2026 at 2:12 pm
Starlink has left the chat
@ValuedTeamMember
April 12, 2026 at 2:12 pm
*_WOW. When it was pulled out I hadn’t seen anything go up that fast since my prom date shimmied off her dress._* Just saying. *VERY COoL!* (the airship, not my date)
@gemartsiha
April 12, 2026 at 2:26 pm
Its to fry us with extreme radiation.
@Alqptuzmw
April 12, 2026 at 2:26 pm
Starlink can do direct to cell today. Starlink v3 will increase 5G bandwidth by a lot. Does anyone at CNET know how to use the internet or AI to do any basic research?
@sab611
April 12, 2026 at 3:08 pm
Yeah, what about the Helium shortage?
@118Columbus
April 12, 2026 at 3:38 pm
Facebook was gonna do this with giant balloons – it doesn’t work — the cost does not justify the benefits.
@ColdPatterns
April 12, 2026 at 3:45 pm
“When there was no room left to litter on earth, we littered the skies”
@Think_like_Buffett
April 12, 2026 at 3:48 pm
This to me is a direct blow to space x plans for providing internet in undeveloped areas. If this can be mass produced and easily deployed
@Robert-uh9vf
April 12, 2026 at 4:13 pm
Stuff like this combined with electromagnetic propulsion could probably make space travel a lot safer. Instead of “bumping” into earths atmosphere at mach 33 or wasting chemical rocket fuel to punch up through atmosphere, a spacecraft of sufficient design should be able to quantum lock itself to nearby EM fields of certain size to propel or gradually “brake” in vacuum- which would make G-forces the main concern of survival instead of ablative materials falling off, causing re entry friction plasma to completely disintegrate the craft. Something like those mass accelerators they want to put on the moon, or a rail gun… But without the cannon. And maybe a lot lighter.
But also, there has been some research talking about the nullification of G-forces in a denser liquid environment which compresses differently than atmosphere. There was a guy who died from pneumonia after participating in an oxygenated liquid breathing experiment… Travelling through space should be as butter smooth as gently pushing off the wall, gliding across the room and stopping yourself by grabbing a handrail at the end of a corridor.
@Vlican
April 12, 2026 at 4:20 pm
already helium shortage
@DavidDatura
April 12, 2026 at 5:07 pm
With a Kessler event highly likely to occur at any moment, thus blocking access to space for all purposes, this tech might become increasingly important for global communications of all types. But the increasing lack of the availability of helium nowadays might ultimately put the kibosh on that too…we’re doomed 😬 everything is really going to the toilet isn’t it? The death throes of civilization.
@bobnomura2068
April 12, 2026 at 5:54 pm
The stratosphere is 6+ miles high, add in lateral distances… So can a phone transmit 5G signals 10 miles or so away ?
@G.D.Acosta
April 12, 2026 at 6:00 pm
Isn’t helium reserves critically low? Doesn’t sound that sustainable
@AmerBoyo
April 12, 2026 at 6:43 pm
What a stunning craft!
@damandbass
April 13, 2026 at 12:33 am
As a temporary emergency solution – yes. As a sky cluttering, permanent network of floating junk – no.
@jkstl70
April 13, 2026 at 12:38 am
there is the aliens
@thearchangel9835
April 13, 2026 at 2:20 am
Futile endeavour if you asked me
@JohnJohn-dc7id
April 13, 2026 at 2:33 am
compared to other aerial forms of internet connection, it is affordable, productive and energy efficient. considering global warming, this is a plus indeed. only question is the coverage area 👍
@CNET
April 13, 2026 at 10:28 am
let’s wait for their trail run report and we will have more details on our website
@JustAHeroForFun_Saitama
April 13, 2026 at 6:50 am
Cant wait until i see that empowers poor oppressed people, that is to say that the American terrorist forces with mossad terrorists use to ignite chaos and destruction in countries they dont like to otherwise sanctioned but still stable countries….
@xaira12
April 13, 2026 at 8:02 am
wait till bro finds out about starlink direct to cell
@RandoMusa_61
April 13, 2026 at 8:06 am
I wonder how it deals with high speed high altitude winds?
The propellers seem tiny for such a large cross section if there is any significant wind, which, in my limited experience above 5km, is almost a constant.
@licencetoswill
April 13, 2026 at 9:02 am
yes but it drops off again as you climb higher
@SimplebutSurprising
April 13, 2026 at 8:36 am
The direct-to-phone 5G part is the real game changer here. No dish, no extra gear, just signal.
@AdityaSingh-zb4ds
April 13, 2026 at 9:22 am
Is that you project loon?
@onequezt
April 13, 2026 at 9:29 am
I’d take this over Starlink any day, sounds cool!
@gamewavelondon
April 13, 2026 at 9:50 am
arent we running out of helium?
@CNET
April 13, 2026 at 10:31 am
it’s a logistic issue because of world trade shipping.
@CasperioSs
April 13, 2026 at 10:10 am
Thats so cool. Not only it solve the problem of rural areas, but it does so by using existing infostructure. So cool. Keep going
@CNET
April 13, 2026 at 10:24 am
Read more about it on CNET.com
5G From the Sky: New Internet Infrastructure Takes Flight
@LMacNeill
April 13, 2026 at 10:29 am
Helium is constantly being created inside the Earth by the decay of Uranium. Our supply is not infinite, no, but as long as there’s enough uranium decay to keep the Earth’s core hot, there’s tons of helium being generated. It’s just a matter of capturing it. We’re not gonna run out any time soon. The shortage is not caused by a lack of helium, it’s caused by a lack of infrastructure to capture all of it.
@post_eternity
April 13, 2026 at 10:47 am
I hope they succeed.
@RobertIsmyname
April 13, 2026 at 11:14 am
2:16 that iPhone definitely is pink
@Deus-castigat-censores
April 13, 2026 at 12:43 pm
Seems as though it would be easier to destroy these in comparison to satellites.
@ericchristen2623
April 13, 2026 at 1:13 pm
This was always the more sensible energy efficient approach
@HeyitsWolverBean
April 13, 2026 at 2:03 pm
Can imagine the high pings
@SinSefia
April 13, 2026 at 3:02 pm
Purity of helium? It’s unmanned, you jaggoffasaur. Just use hydrogen 3:00
Well, at least it’s not being wasted on gender reveal party balloons, then again, they’d probably use hydrogen for that. … Damn, humanity is dumb.
@mason5540
April 13, 2026 at 3:52 pm
Suddenly every keyboard warrior is a helium expert lol
@bsexton
April 13, 2026 at 4:27 pm
Hey Satellites it’s Blimps you win!
@Lume1.0
April 13, 2026 at 5:36 pm
Put ads on it and we’re in blade runner
@jglstx
April 13, 2026 at 5:45 pm
😲
@minimixie4025
April 13, 2026 at 8:43 pm
Money printing
Pseudo control
Now overhead blimp
Zombie mind control