Pioneering the
Tactical Stratosphere
The stratosphere has been inaccessible for decades. We changed that.
The problem
Current platforms can't deliver persistent, affordable high-altitude access.
Satellites
Expensive & slow
Months to deploy. Billions to build. Fixed orbits that can't adapt to emerging threats.
Aircraft
Limited endurance
Hours of flight time. High operating costs. Requires runways, pilots, and extensive logistics.
Drones
Can't reach altitude
Restricted to low airspace. Limited range. Vulnerable to weather and detection.
Space
Expensive, complex, long lead times
The Stratosphere
Above weather. Below satellites. The optimal zone.
Aviation
Limited endurance, weather-dependent
Why the stratosphere?
The stratosphere sits in a sweet spot: high enough to avoid weather and airspace congestion, low enough to avoid the costs and complexity of space. It's been underutilized for decades because getting there—and staying there—was hard.
The Microballoon changes that. Launch in under 5 minutes. Reach 75,000 feet. Stay aloft for days. Our 20+ patents protect technology that makes stratospheric access routine instead of exceptional.
The result: persistent surveillance, communications relay, and sensing capabilities at a fraction of satellite costs—deployable on-demand, recoverable, and reusable.
The Microballoon
The world's first refurbishable, precisely placeable stratospheric balloon. Payload agnostic by design. Ready for anything.
Launch in under 5 minutes, even in winds up to 25 knots. Reach operating altitudes between 40,000 and 75,000 feet. Stay aloft for days, with navigation and persistence with our patented altitude control system. Then recover, refurbish, and fly again.
The advantage
How we compare
| Platform | Cost | Deploy Time | Altitude | Endurance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microballoon | $$ | 5 minutes | 75,000 ft | Days |
| Satellite | $$$$ | Months | 200+ miles | Years |
| Aircraft | $$$ | Hours | 40,000 ft | Hours |
| Drone | $ | Minutes | 400 ft | Minutes |
The Microballoon combines the persistence of satellites with the flexibility of aircraft—at a fraction of the cost.
Three markets. One platform.
From defense operations to scientific research, the Microballoon delivers persistent stratospheric access across sectors that have waited decades for this capability.
Defense & Intelligence
Tactical ISR, communications relay, and persistent surveillance in contested environments. Deploy in under 5 minutes. Operate at 75,000 feet. Maintain coverage for days.
Explore Defense
Commercial & Data
High-resolution, real-time imagery and sensing for infrastructure monitoring, agriculture, and mapping. The coverage of satellites with the resolution of aircraft—at a fraction of the cost.
Explore Commercial
Science & Weather
Affordable, repeatable access for atmospheric research, climate monitoring, and near-space experimentation. Enabling discoveries that were previously impossible.
Explore ScienceTrusted by
Featured in | TechCrunch • Forbes • Defense News • Aviation Week • SpaceNews
In the news
Urban Sky Raises $30 Million in Series B Funding to Unlock Routine and Easy Global Access to the Stratosphere
Urban Sky Raises $30 Million in Series B Funding
Urban Sky Nabs $30M for Stratospheric Balloons
Urban Sky Secures $30M in Series B Funding to Expand Stratospheric Capabilities
Urban Sky raises $30 million to unlock routine global access to the stratosphere
Ready to Discuss a Project?
Whether you're exploring defense applications, commercial data solutions, or scientific research, our team is ready to help you unlock the power of the stratosphere.