Distributed airborne wireless networks

An airborne wireless communication node, comprising:

• an airborne fleet comprising a plurality of airborne platforms having flight control electronics configured to control flight of individual airborne platforms and coordinate a flight plan of the airborne fleet as a whole, wherein the plurality of airborne platforms comprise unmanned aerial vehicles;
• and
• a distributed communication payload, wherein the distributed communication payload is subdivided into constituent parts, wherein the constituent parts are distributed and positioned on respective ones of the plurality of airborne platforms, wherein the distributed communication payload has requirements that are not satisfied by the capabilities of a single platform of the plurality of airborne platforms, and wherein the distributed communication payload comprises:
• air-to-user link equipment to provide communication links with end-users, the air-to-user link equipment further comprising an RF antenna;
• air-to-air link equipment to provide communications between individual airborne platforms;
• and
• payload control electronics to control the air-to-user and air-to-air link equipment and managing communication services.