Developers: | Inmarsat |
Date of the premiere of the system: | September 2021 |
Branches: | Telecommunications and communications |
Technology: | Satellite communications and navigation |
2021: Announcement of the world's first global platform for satellite drone control
September 8, 2021 Inmarsat announced the launch of a global platform for satellite control drones Velaris. The company calls its decision the first of its kind.
Based on the Inmarsat ELERA global satellite network, Velaris provides secure communications for commercial unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for off-line-of-sight (BVLOS) flights and seamless integration with aircraft in commercial airspace. Supported by military-grade cybersecurity, it allows operators to send their UAVs on long-range flights and access various applications, such as real-time monitoring to ensure safe integration with other aircraft. In addition, Velaris allows one pilot to remotely control several UAVs nationwide, making operations more profitable from a commercial point of view.
According to forecasts, over the next seven years, the market for commercial UAVs will increase from $2.32 billion in 2021 to $11.29 billion in 2028. This will have a far-reaching impact on various aspects of business and society, ranging from cargo delivery, urban transportation and surveillance to emergency services and disaster relief, including the delivery of critical items such as medicines, test kits and food for remote localities.
Commercial UAVs are capable of revolutionizing many different industries around the world. However, in order to truly unlock their potential on a commercial scale, autonomous vehicles and unmanned aerial vehicles must be reliably and safely integrated into controlled commercial airspace. Inmarsat's unprecedented experience in air traffic control and aviation safety, combined with our solid record in civil and military UAV communications, ensures that we can support global regulators, aeronautical service providers and UAV operators in seamlessly integrating airspace, "said Entony Spauner, Inmarsat's senior director for UAV and unmanned traffic control.[1] |