Energy Management of Solar-Powered Aircraft-Based High Altitude Platform for Wireless Communications

TLDR

Solar‑powered high‑altitude platforms are increasingly considered for wireless communications, but their deployment depends on energy consumption and payload weight limits. This study evaluates energy management for solar‑powered HAPs providing wireless services in equatorial and northern hemisphere regions. We analyze solar energy harvested and consumed on the shortest day of the year, incorporating various HAP designs and available energy‑storage systems to assess long‑endurance feasibility. Our results show that HAPs are limited by energy and weight, with 15–24 h/day service achievable using 25–35 m wingspans, and that doubling the wingspan can raise payload capacity sixfold, improving communication feasibility.

Abstract

With the increasing interest in wireless communications from solar-powered aircraft-based high altitude platforms (HAPs), it is imperative to assess the feasibility of their deployment in different locations with the constraints on energy consumption and payload weight under consideration. This paper considers the energy management of solar-powered aircraft-based HAPs for wireless communications service provisioning in equatorial regions and regions further up the northern hemisphere. The total solar energy harvested and consumed on the shortest day of the year is analyzed, and it is explained how this determines the feasibility of long endurance, semi-permanent missions. This takes into account the different aircraft-based HAPs and the energy storage systems currently available, and how these can be deployed for wireless communications. We show that the solar-powered HAPs are energy and weight limited, and this depends largely on the platform’s wingspan available for the deployment of solar collectors. Our analysis show that services can be provided for a duration of 15–24 h/day using current platforms, with wingspans ranging between 25–35 m, depending on the configuration and coverage radius. Furthermore, we show that doubling an aircraft’s wingspan can increase its payload capacity by a factor of 6, which in turn enhances its feasibility for wireless communications.