Advances in SATCOM Technology Stimulates Wider Use

Spanish companies UAV Navigation and Satlink have begun collaborating in developing solutions responding to the specific needs of the UAV sector in areas such as video transmission and fleet management.

Beyond visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) missions are becoming increasingly important in the UAV industry, allowing operators to cover large areas in various missions, including surveillance, cargo delivery, and inspection/monitoring. Alternatives to traditional UHF-based communications are needed to support these missions, due largely to the distance between platform and ground control station (GCS). One such solution is satellite communications (SATCOM), which has proven to be a great enabler for the goal of global coverage. SATCOM provides operators with mission-related information and enables required actions – even control of the payload – in near real-time.

Size and weight of early SATCOM devices precluded their use on many UAVs. However, rapid development in the platforms spurred parallel development in SATCOM devices and, coupled with very competitive pricing and rational use of bandwidth and data control algorithms, has stimulated growth in the use of advanced SATCOM solutions in the UAV community.

The companies in combination have detailed experience in and knowledge of the UAV industry and are committed to seeking viable alternatives for seemingly intractable problems.