LiveSky and BigSky UAS will use Wave Relay MANET

Persistent Systems announced on 5 February that it has entered into a five-year agreement with Hoverfly Technologies for the latter company to join Persistent’s Wave Relay Ecosystem.

The Ecosystem, the launch of which MON reported on 28 January at https://monch.com/mpg/news/ew-c4i-channel/4873-wave-relay-ecosystem-industry-alliance.html, is an alliance of unmanned system and sensor companies that integrate the Wave Relay mobile ad hoc network (MANET) into their products. Hoverfly’s tether-powered, small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), LiveSky and BigSky, will both be part of the Ecosystem, with the Wave Relay MANET offered as the standard communication link.

“The Wave Relay MANET can scale and operate effectively in urban environments where the LiveSky and BigSky excel,” commented Persistent Systems’ Director of Business Development, Brian Soles.

By incorporating Persistent’s MANET radios on their UAS, Hoverfly improves its offering of operational capability in dense urban environments. The tethered capability of both LiveSky and BigSky allow them to reach above tall buildings to spread the network farther. Greater networking capabilities provide operators with real-time situational awareness for quick, in-the-moment tactical decisions.

“As the Army is working towards networking the battlefield, the addition of the Wave Relay MANET to our tethered drones enhances capabilities for communications, ISR, rogue reconnaissance and security,” added Hoverfly’s CEO, Rob Topping. “This integration provides a much-needed communication link that enables a wholly networked solution.”

The Hoverfly systems operate at altitudes of 200ft, where a tether cable provides continuous power and high speed Ethernet connectivity. With the Embedded Module now integrated into Hoverfly’s offerings, users benefit from the range and performance that the MANET can deliver in this unobstructed, advantaged location for miles of connectivity.

“This partnership represents a significant new addition to the Ecosystem. Providing an advantaged communication relay extends the range and performance of all the Wave Relay Ecosystem offerings. Now unmanned ground robots can operate further in complex urban environments, and sensor data can be retrieved at greater distances. The Hoverfly integration of the Wave Relay MANET is a true capability multiplier on the networked battlefield,” concluded Mr Soles.

@CAP: ((BigSky)) Hoverfly’s BigSky small UAS is one of the latest additions to the Wave Relay Ecosystem. (Photo: Hoverfly Technologies)