In mid-2022, the European aircraft manufacturer Airbus will test a laser communication system for aircraft, which is being developed as part of the UltraAir project. According to Flightglobal, a promising satellite communication system will provide data exchange at a speed of several gigabits per second. For testing, a laser communication system will be installed on the aircraft.
In January 2016, the European company Airbus Defense & Space launched into orbit the geostationary communication satellite Eutelsat 9B, equipped with a laser data transfer terminal EDRS-A. The laser terminal on the satellite can transmit data at a speed of 1.8 gigabits per second, and its daily throughput is about 50 terabytes. These indicators correspond to the real-time mode.
The UltraAir laser communication system will communicate with a satellite in geostationary orbit. The system is being developed by Airbus together with the Dutch research organization TNO. First of all, a communication terminal is being created for unmanned aerial vehicles so that they can transmit intelligence data in real time.
Ground testing of the UltraAir is scheduled for early 2022. They will take place on the island of Tenerife in the Atlantic Ocean. Earlier it was reported that the laser communication terminal for aircraft and drones will weigh about 15 kilograms.
Vasily Sychev
