High Altitude Platform Systems are a type of aircraft that can fly in the stratosphere for long time periods (from a few hours to weeks or months depending on the type). They are well suited to provide telecommunication services, for instance, over "white spot areas" - areas where reception is bad and the demand might not be enough to justify the construction of ground-based telecom infrastructure - or to provide telecom services over areas hit by natural catastrophes, among other.

Some HAPS have been developed and tested but as of now, there are no civil commercial applications.