23 apr. 2024 - Af Philip Butterworth-Hayes

Viasat, uAvionix link to provide BVLOS communications and airspace integration

Viasat has announced a collaboration with uAvionix which will join Viasat’s Velaris Partner Network.

“Following a strategic alliance agreement between the companies to develop products and services for the uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) market, uAvionix has begun integrating Viasat’s Velaris module into its compact muLTElink airborne radio system. Powered by Viasat’s global L-band network, Velaris provides secure, resilient, L-band, communications for commercial UAVs. Velaris enables real-time monitoring for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) UAV operations, with seamless integration into commercial airspace.

uAvionix’s system combines C-band, LTE, ISM and Viasat L-band, and carefully monitors and manages each data link using a DO-377A Link Executive Manager (LEM) while automatically registering aircraft with uAvionix’s SkyLine Cloud Managed BVLOS service.

According to a company press release, SkyLine is the first cloud-based command and control network that combines fleet management, network health monitoring, detect & avoid, and seamless make-before-break roaming between multiple radio networks and ground stations and is purpose built to enable Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) safety cases.

During system integration testing in 2023, uAvionix configured and integrated a Velaris development terminal with its SkyLine system and established a “very stable streaming connection” in a matter of just days.

Cyriel Kronenburg, VP Aviation Networks at uAvionix said: “uAvionix successfully flew with Velaris connectivity in northern Montana. Notably, where the LTE radio had good performance on the ground before take-off, and the SkyLink C-band ISM radios had good performance while in our area of operations, the satcom let us close the gap by providing phenomenal performance with a very stable streaming connection while enroute from the airport to our deployed SkyStations. It’s a huge testament to the ease of use of satcom and how supportive the Viasat team has been.”

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