A third of the world’s population lacks internet connectivity − airborne communications stations could change that

An experimental aircraft like this solar-powered airship could someday play a role in providing internet access to rural areas or disaster zones. Thales Alenia Space via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

About one-third of the global population, around 3 billion people, don’t have access to the internet or have poor connections because of infrastructure limitations, economic disparities and geographic isolation.

Today’s satellites and ground-based networks leave communications gaps where, because of geography, setting up traditional ground-based communications equipment would be too expensive.