SoftBank Corp. has made a $15 million strategic investment in U.S.-based aerospace company Sceye, signaling a major step forward in climate monitoring and non-terrestrial communications. The funding will accelerate Sceye’s commercial deployment of High-Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS)—advanced, helium-filled airships that operate in the stratosphere.
Designed to function as “floating climate stations,” Sceye’s airships are 65.2 meters long and equipped with sophisticated cameras and radar systems. Operating from 60,000 feet above ground, the platforms offer real-time environmental data to aid in wildfire detection, flood monitoring, and greenhouse gas measurement. The company’s goal is to provide a new layer of climate resilience through persistent, high-resolution coverage of Earth’s most vulnerable regions.
“Sceye welcomes SoftBank’s investment as we prepare for commercial service,” said Mikkel Vestergaard Frandsen, CEO and founder of Sceye. “SoftBank brings a wealth of experience in non-terrestrial connectivity and has long championed the stratosphere as the next frontier for solving some of the world’s most pressing challenges. Their investment affirms the viability of Sceye’s platform.”
SoftBank, which has been developing HAPS-based services since 2017, sees the technology as essential to expanding connectivity in hard-to-reach areas. “Stratospheric, wide-area telecommunications will play a key role in expanding network coverage to mountainous regions, remote islands, and areas impacted by large-scale disasters,” said Junichi Miyakawa, President and CEO of SoftBank Corp. “We’re proud to support Sceye’s next phase of development.”
In Japan, the partnership is expected to bolster disaster recovery capabilities, especially in earthquake-prone regions where rapid restoration of communications is critical. The investment also aligns with Japan’s broader strategy of integrating space and stratospheric technologies into its national infrastructure and emergency response frameworks.
As the global demand for resilient climate and communication systems grows, Sceye’s high-altitude technology, backed by one of Japan’s most influential tech investors, positions it as a key player in the next frontier of environmental and digital infrastructure.
