maritime communications

KAUST research develops smarter HAPS deployment guidance for island and maritime connectivity

2 min read · Mon, Jul 27 2026

high altitude platform stations HAPSs 6g wireless systems maritime communications

Researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) have developed a mathematical framework to guide the deployment of high-altitude platform station networks across islands, coastlines and open maritime areas. The team, including Hao Lin, Mustafa A. Kishk and Mohamed-Slim Alouini, examined how high-altitude platform stations, or HAPS, could support communications in regions where terrestrial networks are costly or difficult to build. HAPS are aircraft or balloons equipped with communications systems and typically operate 20 to 50 kilometers above Earth. Their wide