Boeing, Gogo test Starlink rivals for war drones
Boeing's drone subsidiary Insitu and aviation Wi-Fi provider Gogo have successfully tested a military drone utilizing satellite communications, the companies announced on Tuesday. This development highlights the increasing efforts by governments and defense firms to lessen dependence on Elon Musk's Starlink network. Gogo Special Missions, the military and government arm of Gogo, collaborated with Insitu in integrating a modified version of Gogo's Galileo HDX antenna onto Insitu's Integrator drone.
This mid-sized unmanned aircraft, commonly employed by military clients for surveillance and reconnaissance tasks, benefits from the new system providing high-speed global internet via Eutelsat OneWeb's low-Earth-orbit satellite network. The integration of this ITAR-free, satellite communication option is deemed essential by Insitu's Vice President of Growth, John Kelly, as it extends the command-and-control range and facilitates faster transmission of sensor data from the battlefield.
While Gogo and Insitu have not disclosed a deployment timeline, the addition of this high-speed satellite communication capability to the Integrator drone is a significant step in reducing reliance on Starlink and catering to the growing demand for satellite networks among military users.
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