Boeing drone subsidiary Insitu and aviation connectivity company Gogo have successfully tested a military drone equipped with satellite communications, highlighting the growing push for alternatives to Starlink for defence operations.
Gogo Special Missions, the company’s military and government division, worked with Insitu to integrate a modified version of Gogo’s Galileo HDX antenna onto the Integrator drone. The mid-sized uncrewed aircraft is used by military customers for surveillance and reconnaissance missions.
The test comes as militaries increasingly rely on drones for longer-range and more complex operations. The widespread use of unmanned systems in conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East has increased demand for reliable communications that can operate beyond traditional line-of-sight radio links and withstand jamming.
The new system provides the Integrator with high-speed global connectivity through Eutelsat OneWeb’s low-Earth orbit satellite network. The companies said the setup is also free from US International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), which could simplify exports to international customers.
“Adding an ITAR-free, high-speed SATCOM option is an essential capability for our global customers,” said John Kelly, vice president of growth at Insitu.
According to the company, the satellite link can extend the drone’s command-and-control range and enable faster transmission of sensor data from operational environments.
Insitu and Gogo have not disclosed when the technology could be deployed.
The development comes as governments and defence organisations explore alternatives to Elon Musk’s Starlink and Starshield satellite networks. Starlink’s large satellite constellation has made it an important communications option for military users, but concerns have been raised in Europe and parts of the US defence establishment about dependence on a single network.
The Insitu-Gogo partnership adds another satellite communications option for military drones, with a focus on global connectivity and international deployment.
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