Editor's note: A Shenzhen entrepreneur aims to get people to 'travel in the sky' in future following his company's successful launch of an airborne vehicle that, he says, will change the lives of the world's 4 billion population who still do not have Internet access.

Early this year, a gigantic silver object of thousands of cubic meters took off from the ground at a base in Shenzhen. Soaring to a height of some 4,000 meters, it provided Wifi services for an area covering 8,000 square kilometers, and monitored and collected information on more than 2,100 ships plying off the coast.

The debut of the whale-like craft, named "Cloud" and developed by Shenzhen-based and Hong Kong-listed Kuang-Chi Science Ltd, marked the first successful commercial test flight of the airborne vehicle, which is capable of providing widespread Wifi coverage over Shenzhen and Hong Kong, conducting ground monitoring and collecting big maritime data.

Later this year, "Cloud" will be seen in action abroad - in the Democratic Republic of Congo - offering Internet service for the African people. "Among the world's 7 billion population, about 4 billion still do not have Internet access," says Kuang-Chi Science Chairman Liu Ruopeng. "I hope our technology will help change their lives."

The 32-year-old entrepreneur is also promoting the craft's use in South Asian countries, Europe and other parts of the world, while in China, "Cloud" will be applied mainly in maritime affairs.

Energetic and conversable, Liu launched his entrepreneurial adventure in 2010 after obtaining a doctoral degree at Duke University in the United States. Dedicated to making innovations that can change the world, he focuses on developing new and disruptive space technology by using meta-material.

"I dreamed that all people could benefit from our creative studies and longed for a platform to make my dream come true. Then, I found that establishing a platform of my own is the best way to give play to our creativity, our imagination and design of the future," Liu says.

He set up Kuang-Chi Science with four colleagues, who had been doing research together in the US and Shenzhen. The company expanded rapidly and went public in Hong Kong in September last year. It now has some 400 employees and is still growing.

Despite the fact that he has been exploring and studying the field since 2003 when he was still a sophomore, Liu still encounters various obstacles after starting his own career.

Transforming his identity - from a scientist to an entrepreneur - is not that easy. "You need to consider more factors, like resources, the market environment, government and media relations, rather than focusing merely on one thing when you conduct an academic study," he explains.

For Liu, the biggest challenge lies in the lack of experience and lessons he could draw from, as the area he's researching in is totally new to him. But, from another perspective, it's where he finds his own value. "We are from the future," he quips as he espouses the company's mission to create future possibilities for the world.

"Cloud" is just a production of Liu's years of research and development in the lower space. In the much higher astro space of 20-100 kilometers, or near space, another aircraft, "Traveler", is emerging.

Scheduled to make its experimental flight by the end of this year or early next year, Liu's new creation is poised to make people's space dream a reality with its "space travel" program. Anyone, without having to undergo special training, will be able to travel to outer space to take a look at the universe with "Traveler," Liu reveals.

"The whole space of the earth is a kind of resource which can be explored and utilized. With our technology, living space and lives of humans will be expanded upward and upward from the ground," Liu boasts with a bright smile.

Wang Xueheng, an analyst at Guosen Securities, praised Liu's latest inventions. Theoretically, he said, a technologically mature near-space aircraft could have most of the functions of a satellite, like communication, navigation and mapping.

"As a near-space aircraft has such advantages like a shorter communication distance, less transmission loss, less delay and longer life, it could significantly reduce construction costs of ground facilities and radiation pollution from base station. At the same time, the cost of the aircraft is cheaper compared with that of a satellite," Wang said.

To achieve more progress in the aerospace domain, Liu is actively seeking cooperation with foreign enterprises. In December last year, Kuang-Chi Science became a major shareholder of Martin Aircraft - a New Zealand company specializing in producing commercial jetpack - after acquiring HK$279 million worth of its shares, owning roughly 52 percent of Martin Aircraft.

"The two companies are complementary in technology. We have advanced technology in material and Martin Aircraft is experienced in flight control," Liu says. "We have the same pursuit, the same dream. Moreover, the acquisition helps us expand our overseas markets."

The jetpack, which is able to carry up to two passengers, has the capacity of flying over 30 minutes at a speed of up to 74 km/h and an altitude of up to 1,000 meters. It's expected to play an active role in emergences by serving as a first responder after its official sale in 2016, with the retail price estimated at about $200,000.

The jetpacks' invention may also change the way people travel in future. "Probably, in a few years' time, there will emerge a new transportation mode - traveling in the sky," Liu predicts.

sally@chinadailyhk.com

(HK Edition 04/09/2015 page9)