High Altitude Platforms (HAPs) are a major advancement in non-terrestrial networks, offering broad coverage and unique capabilities. They form a vital link between satellite systems and terrestrial networks and play a key role in next-generation communication technologies. This study reviews HAP network applications, focusing on advanced airborne communications, integrated sensing, and airborne informatics. Our survey assesses the current state of HAP-centric applications by examining data processing, network performance, computational and storage requirements, economic feasibility, and regulatory challenges. The analysis highlights the evolving role of HAPs in global communication and identifies future research directions to support their deployment.

翻译：高空平台（HAPs）是非地面网络领域的一项重大进展，具有覆盖范围广和独特能力强的特点。它们构成了卫星系统与地面网络之间的关键连接，并在下一代通信技术中扮演着核心角色。本研究综述了HAP网络的应用，重点关注先进的机载通信、集成感知以及机载信息处理。通过考察数据处理、网络性能、计算与存储需求、经济可行性以及监管挑战，本调查评估了以HAP为中心的应用现状。该分析强调了HAP在全球通信中不断演变的角色，并指出了支持其部署的未来研究方向。