Alphabet Transfers Loon Patents to SoftBank, Open Sources Data

Alphabet's Loon Project: Asset Distribution After Shutdown

Alphabet’s Loon initiative represented a bold attempt to deliver cellular network coverage using high-altitude balloons. This ambitious project pioneered numerous technological advancements, notably in autonomous balloon navigation and prolonged station-keeping capabilities. Despite these achievements, the project was ultimately discontinued.

Currently, Alphabet is redistributing Loon’s assets. A significant portion of this intellectual property is being offered to the wider industry at no cost, while key components are being transferred to strategic partners and investors.

SoftBank Acquires Stratospheric Communication Patents

SoftBank, a Japanese telecommunications leader, is receiving approximately 200 patents originating from Loon. These patents cover areas such as stratospheric communications, service provision, operational procedures, and aircraft technology.

SoftBank intends to integrate these assets into its own High Altitude Platform Stations (HAPS) business. The company was previously a partner with Loon, having established the “HAPS Alliance” to promote industry development. While SoftBank initially focused on autonomous gliders, they also adapted communication payloads for use on Loon’s balloons.

Furthermore, SoftBank had already invested $125 million in Loon in 2019, demonstrating their commitment to this technology.

Raven Receives Balloon Manufacturing Patents

Raven, a company specializing in the manufacture of high-altitude balloons, is also benefiting from Loon’s closure. They are acquiring patents specifically related to balloon fabrication processes.

Testing the impact of lightning on Loon’s hardware in the lab. Image Credits: Alphabet

Open Sourcing of Data and Patents

A substantial amount of Loon’s accumulated knowledge and accomplishments will be made publicly accessible to foster progress in stratospheric science and related industries. Alphabet has released data from Loon’s extensive flight history, encompassing roughly 70 million kilometers, including GPS and sensor information.

Additionally, the company has committed to a non-assertion agreement for 270 patents and patent applications. This encompasses technologies related to balloon launching, in-flight navigation, and fleet management.

To further disseminate the learnings from the Loon project, Alphabet has compiled a comprehensive report detailing the entire experience, available as a free PDF.

Lessons Learned and Future Implications

While parallels to the myth of Icarus might be drawn, Alphabet’s “moonshot” projects inherently accept a higher risk of failure. The open release of Loon’s intellectual property and data represents a positive outcome for the scientific community, enabling further innovation in the field.

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