
SoftBank backs giant floating climate stations startup
The company, called Sceye Inc., has built more than 20 of its zeppelin-like airships, stationed at a sprawling 41,600-square-foot warehouse in New Mexico. The vehicles — technically called high-altitude platform stations — are 214 feet long, almost the size of a Boeing 747's wingspan, and are equipped with specialized cameras and radars.
Designed to hover above the earth for months at a time, Sceye's monitoring stations can capture real-time data on wildfires, flooding and greenhouse gases. They can also provide wireless service to people on the ground during large-scale disasters.
The company's Chief Executive Officer Mikkel Vestergaard Frandsen said that he expected SoftBank — the telecom unit of the tech conglomerate SoftBank Group Corp. — to be an important strategic partner to the startup. 'As a telephone company, it knows the limitations of towers and fiber optic cables and satellite constellations,' Frandsen said. 'This is a critical area for them to come into.'
Founded in 2014, the company has notched a valuation of $580 million with the latest investment. Other backers of the company include Saudi investor Mawarid Holding Company.
Sceye (pronounced 'sky') began testing its high-tech balloons nine years ago with a much smaller prototype. Last year, the company led its first 'full diurnal flight,' meaning one of its stations stayed afloat in an area for more than 24 hours — a feat Frandsen said helped prove the efficacy of its strategy to stay operational using solar power in the day and batteries at night.
With its new funding and SoftBank partnership, next year Sceye plans to fly one of its stratospheric platforms to Japan, where it will offer broadband services for a multi-week period before returning to New Mexico. The demonstration will be one of the last steps the company will take before it's ready to sell its product commercially, Frandsen said.
SoftBank has been developing similar satellite-adjacent services since 2017, company president Junichi Miyakawa said in a statement. High-altitude platform station technology will 'play a key role in expanding network area coverage' to places that are difficult to reach with existing networks, Miyakawa said, adding that the services 'will also provide a means of restoring communications when large-scale disasters strike.'
Previously, Sceye has partnered with NASA and the US Geological Survey to provide climate and environmental imaging.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Time Business News
11 minutes ago
- Time Business News
Latest Umrah 2025 Updates
The sacred journey of Umrah highlights itself as a spiritual priority for several Muslims all around the world. In 2025, there are significant updates and advancements made by the Saudi Arabian Government that have shaped the overall experience of the Umrah practice. This exclusive post will help you explore the latest updates that have been implemented over the Umrah practice for a better experience of Umrah 2025. The Saudi Arabia authorities have revolutionized their Umrah policies and documentations for 2025, this highlights a comprehensive technological transformation also. With these updates, it is guaranteed that performers will experience a more enhanced and convenient Umrah practice as the technology advancement has improved the digital systems that now count the crowd levels in a few seconds making the management easy and exceptional. These noticeable updates portray Saudi Arabia's commitment and promising nature towards modernizing religious affairs while keeping the spiritual essence within the Islamic boundaries. If you are planning your Umrah journey this year then make sure to select the right October Umrah packages that offers an ideal combination of services including accommodations, flights, transfers, and other essentials. With updates in the digitized application system Saudi Arabia has made it easy to eliminate physical checksups and paperworks. Pilgrims can now reserve their booking online with various travel agencies such as Dua Travels UK. Pilgrims can now complete their entire visa process through authorized travel agencies or the official Saudi visa portal. These both options are valid 24/7, making the visa application process convenient. With updated digital proceedings pilgrims will notice a huge shift within the processing time and transparency throughout the journey. Authentic agencies promise a quick process without delays and inconveniences. Pilgrims have noticed a great reduction in processing time, with standard applications that are now completed within 48-72 hours. The technological advancement has made an exclusive improvement from the previous processing windows that used to extend the entire processing period for several weeks. This quick timeline allows performers to plan their divine pilgrimage with greater flexibility, reducing the inconveniences often because of the lengthy waiting periods. The addition of visa validity to one year with multiple entry allowance highlights a standard shift in approaching Umrah practice. Pilgrims can now also make multiple visits within a 12-month time period, with up to 90 days stay allowance. This approaching quality assists you with your travelling schedule, allowing you with a more convenient journey. Planning to travel during the off-peak season makes it convenient for the pilgrims to experience the essence of this holy journey as the crowd level is moderate and the weather condition is better, which makes it easy for the pilgrim to experience the historical and Islamic sites of the Holyland. Months Temperature Crowd Level Accommodation rate Benefits Average savings September Warm-Moderate (25-32°C) Low-Medium 25% below peak – Post-Ramadan – Good hotel availability- Extended daylight hours 25-30% October Pleasant (22-28°C) Low 30% below peak – Ideal walking conditions- Comfortable temperatures- Excellent service quality 30-35% November Cool-Mild (18-25°C) Moderate 35% below peak – Perfect weather for rituals- Minimal crowds- Best accommodation deals 35-40% December Cool (15-22°C) Moderate to High 35% below peak – Christmas/New Year flexibility- Peaceful atmosphere- Enhanced privacy 35-40% January 2026 Mild-Cool (14-20°C) Low-medium 30% below peak – Winter comfort- Shorter queues- Personalized attention 30-35% February 2026 Mild (16-23°C) Low-Medium 25% below peak – Pre-spring conditions- Good balance of comfort- Reasonable pricing 25-30% It is important for the pilgrims who are planning to book for these off-peak seasons that they must reserve three to five months before the actual performance month. There are various travel agencies that offer reliable services to the pilgrims to experience the best of their Umrah pilgrimage. If you want to experience a more approachable sacred practice then it is ideal to book for off-peak seasons in 2025, allowing pilgrims to explore the ziyarat points and historical sites without experiencing much crowd. Pilgrims can also witness a shift in weather during these months, making the pilgrimage even more appealing and comfortable. Moving into 2025 with an upgraded Umrah approach makes the journey even more flexible. This exclusive journey has never been more approachable before as it has after the vision 2030 has got incorporated. The Saudi government took these initiatives to uplift the overall experience of the Umrah journey with the help of which pilgrims can now experience a more convenient side of the holy journey. The ideal updates for year 2025 from digitalized visa application within minimal time limit to easy entries and calculation of the crowds, highlights the modern approach of the country within the premises of religious affairs. Make sure you search for the best Hajj and Umrah Travel agency in UK to witness these services and servations on time without experiencing delays. TIME BUSINESS NEWS


The Hill
3 hours ago
- The Hill
Britain's net-zero scheme is being derailed by opposition to solar and wind projects
Britain's plans to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 won't be derailed by high costs, even though Brits are now paying some of the world's highest residential electricity prices. Nor will the effort be derailed by lack of support from the Labour Party, which has issued a manifesto claiming that Britain will be a ' clean energy superpower.' Instead, the country's net-zero scheme will fail because of the fierce opposition from rural landowners throughout the British Isles. They are telling the owners of proposed solar and wind projects to take their oceans of photovoltaic panels and forests of giant turbines and put them somewhere the sun doesn't shine and the wind doesn't blow. The proof is in the numbers. Since Jan. 1, there have been nearly four dozen rejections of solar or wind projects in England, Ireland, and Scotland. Among the latest was a rejection last month in Kent, where a planning inspector spiked plans for a massive solar project owned by the French company EDF. The 257-acre project was rejected due to what the planning inspector determined would be a ' significant adverse effect on the receiving landscape.' Also in July, a scheme that aimed to cover 114 acres of prime agricultural land in Scotland with solar panels was rejected by local officials. The project near the town of Coupar Angus had received 44 letters of objection and just one letter in support. I have been tracking the rural backlash against alt-energy projects in the U.S. for 15 years. As the Renewable Rejection Database shows, there have been at least 878 rejections or restrictions of wind and solar projects in the U.S. since 2013, including 82 this year. I am also tracking the international opposition to alt-energy in the Global Renewable Rejection Database. The numbers in the global database show the extent of the local opposition to solar and wind energy in the British Isles. Thus far in 2025, there have been 64 rejections or restrictions of solar or wind projects in countries outside of the U.S. Of that number, 45 have been in England, Ireland, or Scotland. And of that sum, six rejections occurred in July alone. The opposition to these projects is ferocious, and it has been ongoing since at least 2016, when local campaigners defeated a proposal to build a 12-turbine wind project near Scotland's Loch Ness. One of the latest high-profile battles is over the proposed Calderdale Energy project in West Yorkshire. If built, the 300-megawatt plant, promoted by a Saudi outfit called Al Gihaz Holding, would be one of the biggest onshore wind projects in England. The plan calls for 41 massive turbines, standing 200 meters high, to be built amid Walshaw Moor, a region believed to have inspired Emily Brontë's masterpiece, 'Wuthering Heights.' The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds has called the project ' entirely inappropriate.' Opponents have already collected over 15,000 signatures calling for the rejection of the giant bird-chopping project. The surging resistance to solar and wind projects in Britain rhymes with what I have seen all over the world. Although climate NGOs, the pro-solar claque, and pro-wind lobbyists try to dismiss rural residents' objections as NIMBYism ('not in my backyard'), the reality is that everyone, everywhere, cares about what happens in their neighborhoods. Over the last 15 years, I have interviewed dozens of people from numerous countries who have fought solar and wind projects. Their concerns are the same. They are rightly concerned about the deleterious health impacts caused by noise pollution from wind turbines. They are concerned the projects will hurt their property values. Numerous studies have shown that wherever solar and wind projects are built, the value of nearby properties tends to fall. They are concerned about their landscapes and viewsheds. They are also worried about wildlife. And increasingly, objections are being made about the destruction of agricultural land. To cite just one example, last year, the provincial government in Alberta announced an 'agriculture first' policy designed to protect Canadian farmland from solar and wind development. The province also created a 70,000 square kilometer buffer zone around the Rocky Mountains to preserve viewsheds from alt-energy development. Despite the never-ending hype about renewable energy, land-use conflicts are a binding constraint on the expansion of solar and wind energy. That's true in England, Ireland, Scotland, and in rural communities worldwide. After watching these fights for years, it is clear to me that the farmers, ranchers, and residents of rural communities are not just going to roll over and take it. They will continue to fight to protect their communities, and the numbers in the Global Renewable Rejection Database will continue to rise.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
SoftBank Group's Payments App PayPay Files for US Debut
(Bloomberg) -- SoftBank Group Corp.'s digital payment provider PayPay Corp. has confidentially filed a draft registration to debut on the US stock market in a deal that could mint Japan's first $10 billion unicorn. The US-Canadian Road Safety Gap Is Getting Wider Festivals and Parades Are Canceled Amid US Immigration Anxiety To Head Off Severe Storm Surges, Nova Scotia Invests in 'Living Shorelines' Five Years After Black Lives Matter, Brussels' Colonial Statues Remain For Homeless Cyclists, Bikes Bring an Escape From the Streets SoftBank is seeking a valuation for PayPay of ¥1.5 trillion ($10 billion) or more, according to people familiar with the matter, who declined to be named as discussion isn't public. If the plans go ahead, it may be the largest IPO for a Japanese company on a US stock exchange, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. SoftBank Corp., which owns a stake in PayPay, didn't immediately respond to a request for comment outside regular business hours. Its parent SoftBank Group, as well as PayPay, declined to comment on the valuation. PayPay, the country's dominant QR-code payments application, was originally set up through a venture with former Vision Fund portfolio company Paytm. A transaction last year valued the Japanese firm at around $7 billion at that time, according to local media reports. The exact schedule, size, and price for the public listing of PayPay's American depositary receipts are yet to be decided, SoftBank said in a statement Friday. The feasibility of a listing is subject to market and other conditions, and is contingent on the completion of SEC's review, it said. SoftBank has been recently working to monetize some of its assets and Vision Fund bets to finance Masayoshi Son's new investments in artificial intelligence. This includes an additional sale of $3 billion worth of shares in T-Mobile US Inc. Reuters earlier this month reported that the Japanese company has picked investment banks for PayPay's US IPO. PayPay will continue to be a subsidiary of SoftBank Corp. following the public offering and the Japanese conglomerate doesn't expect the listing to have any material impact on its consolidated earnings, the statement said. --With assistance from Gareth Allan and Takahiko Hyuga. (Updates with response from companies) Americans Are Getting Priced Out of Homeownership at Record Rates What Declining Cardboard Box Sales Tell Us About the US Economy Dubai's Housing Boom Is Stoking Fears of Another Crash Bessent on Tariffs, Deficits and Embracing Trump's Economic Plan Twitter's Ex-CEO Is Moving Past His Elon Musk Drama and Starting an AI Company ©2025 Bloomberg L.P. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data