Viasat reveals advanced drone terminal for accurate powerline inspections

Thursday, February 29, 2024

Viasat, a leading global provider in satellite communications, has successfully showcased the effectiveness of its VelarisTM connectivity solution for Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in a recent assessment for power utilities. This assessment utilized a compact terminal developed by Viasat’s partner, Gotonomi, a UAV connectivity platform provider.

Assessing powerlines poses significant challenges due to their extensive installations across remote areas, with pylon heights ranging from 80 to 200 feet. UAVs present numerous advantages over traditional monitoring tools, including swift deployment to remote sites and access to unique aerial perspectives. Integrating satcom technology streamlines communication infrastructure, enabling UAV operation from a remote command center and facilitating real-time streaming of comprehensive data and insights.

The demonstration, led by ARA Robotics, featured two ARA-405 UAVs equipped with cutting-edge sensors and capable of beyond line-of-sight (BVLOS) operations, controlled from a distance of 11 kilometers. One UAV served as a relay station for Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) radio for Command and Control (C2) and video transmission, while the other conducted primary BVLOS operations, carrying the video camera, sensors, and Satcom payload. This collaborative project involved the National Research Council of Canada, leveraging its expertise and facilities in advanced air mobility research and development. Funding for the project was provided by the Innovative Solutions Canada program.

The ARA-405 drones utilized the Gotonomi Velaris SATCOM module, a lightweight unit weighing 300g (0.6 lbs), to establish a secondary command and control link. This redundancy allows the UAV to seamlessly switch between SATCOM and line-of-sight ISM band radio frequency in case of degraded links, ensuring continuous operator control and enhancing the reliability of the communications network.

The demonstration occurred at the UAS Centre of Excellence (Centre d’excellence sur les drones – CED) in Alma, Quebec, Canada, a specialized UAV testing facility operating in collaboration with Alma airport air traffic control within controlled airspace. The outcomes of this demonstration are poised to influence future solutions for assessing power utility infrastructure in remote areas, including the acquisition of high-definition video and sensor data for inspection services.

Guillaume Charland-Arcand, Chief Technology Officer & Co-founder of ARA Robotics, said: Viasat and Gotonomi were instrumental in providing the Velaris satcom module, a product that had the perfect size weight and power (SWaP) characteristics for the ARA-405. The integration was easy and straightforward, and we received excellent technical support when it was required. The performances of the module were validated in flight and matched their specification. Multiple times during the flights, the communication system switched seamlessly to the Viasat network which allowed us to keep command and control over the UAVs. Needless to say, without this product, the long-range demonstration would not have taken place.

Anthony Spouncer, Senior Director of Advanced Air Mobility at Viasat commented: “We were delighted to support the flight demonstrations and validate the reliability of our satcom in action. The new Velaris terminal provided command and control connectivity at multiple points during the flights when the primary 2.4Ghz ISM communication link was disrupted, and operations reverted to the onboard satcom for the system’s communication needs. Demonstrations such as this highlight the capabilities satcom brings to beyond line-of-sight operations in rural environments, and we look forward to working with partners on similar projects in the future.”

Roderick Van Den Bergh, Operations Manager at Gotonomi said: “We are excited to see Gotonomi’s platform enabling BVLOS operations for drone operators. We think this is a great demonstration of how our technology can facilitate the ecosystem to develop new capabilities including command and control for safety, telemetry, data services, voice and video streaming.”

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