UAV Satcom Test Tools

Off-air testing of satcom connectivity for UAVs ensures safety and reliability

The modernization of ATM and increasingly autonomous avionics create a critical need for secure and resilient satellite connectivity. With SWaP improving and drone terminals optimized, satcom is now viable for small and medium UAVs, enabling BLOS operations and regulatory compliance.

As UAV adoption grows, so does the need to validate and document connectivity performance. Off-air test tools from Gatehouse Satcom provide the most efficient way to verify satellite links under realistic, repeatable conditions using digital twin emulation, including testing video compression and encryption for safe and reliable operation.

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Silhouette of spy drone flying over the sea (UAV) and on the background beautiful view of sun hiding behind surface of mountain

Key Benefits

Emulate all BGAN functionality in a controlled sandbox environment

Create, execute, reproduce and document performance under any scenario

Avoid exposure on the live network

Assure quality in any event (e.g. signal degradation, traffic shaping, queuing, QoS, congestion)

Emulating before deploying = Safety

There are huge advantages in verifying and validating (V&V) satellite connectivity before deployment. This can be done most efficiently and comprehensively with off-air test tools such as the ones we provide at Gatehouse Satcom. With our digital twin solutions you can test video compression and encryption algorithms for maneuvering under realistic, controllable, and repeatable conditions. Validating link performance under any conditions will protect your valuable assets from unwanted or unsafe responses.

Document results to your customers

As a UAV manufacturer, OEM or application provider you will be met with a lot of questions when pitching the qualities of your UAV-system. Many of these questions will be about connectivity and durability under special conditions. Using our advanced test tools, you can emulate any scenario (signal degradation, traffic shaping, queuing, QoS and congestion) and will have fulfilling and comprehensive reports to share with your customers.

Emulated environment by using digital twin

The use of an off-air test tool efficiently provides a digital twin. The digital twin is a digital replica of the user environment and it can emulate the many physical conditions and limitation posed by a satellite connectivity link. In such an emulated environment you can verify and validate: The connectivity link to and from the satellite, impairments on the connectivity link, Beam and inter-satellite handover functions, the flight path of the UAV, the antenna performance influence on the connectivity link based on the flight attitude and much more.

With extensive test and documentation required for aero terminals, Honeywell used the Gatehouse Satcom BGAN Network Emulator (BNE) – an advanced network emulation tool – to configure test systems and simulate world-wide flight tracks.

Honeywell

Validation before deployment is crucial to ensure success

Growing dependency on digital solutions has demanded stronger and more effective satellite connectivity on unmanned vehicles for air and sea applications such as UAVs, UCAVs, RPAs, ASVs, and UUVs. It is crucial to validate all satellite enabled applications to guarantee the safety and performance of your systems.

Prepare for critical missions by taking satellite enabled application testing to new levels. With a BGAN Application Tester or BGAN Network Emulator, you can reproduce any scenario and test all satellite enabled applications before deploying

A part of Velaris Partner Network

We are part of the Viasat Velaris Partner Network as their preferred validation partner providing security and documentation to the UAV industry.

Watch this video with Joel Klooster from Viasat welcoming Gatehouse Satcom into the Velaris Partner Network.