Satcom Direct, OneWeb and QEST ratify Electronic Phased Array antenna development
Business aviation solutions provider Satcom Direct has announced a new three-way partnership agreement with OneWeb, a global communications company powered from space, and QEST, a worldwide market leader in innovative aeronautical antennas.
The agreement progresses the development of an Electronic Phased Array antenna to support OneWeb’s advancing mobility services and also covers a long-term distribution partner agreement where SD will market and sell OneWeb’s high-speed, low latency inflight broadband services.
According to the companies, the development has already begun on the flat-panel antenna with initial demonstrator technology scheduled to validate over-the-air performance, in small form factor across the OneWeb satellite constellation in Q4 2022.
The lightweight, low profile, modular antenna designed for smaller aircraft will deliver high-speed, broadband connectivity to this aircraft category for the first time. Together SD, OneWeb and QEST will enable passengers and operators to be more productive and enjoy more leisure time during flight via global broadband connectivity. Market introduction of the flat panel, fuselage mounted, electronic phased array antenna is anticipated for availability in 2024, with OneWeb aviation services set to launch in 2023.
Neil Masterson, CEO at OneWeb said: “We pride ourselves on partnering with industry leaders and specialists to ensure we can bring connectivity to the right audiences as effectively as possible. We are delighted to partner with connectivity market leader Satcom Direct, and innovative hardware manufacturer QEST, because together we look forward to transforming the connectivity landscape for our customers. SD brings a stellar reputation as a distribution partner for OneWeb, with its maturity in the market and solid heritage around the world.
“SD supports the largest number of business aviation platforms globally and regularly ranks top in customer service industry surveys. This makes it an obvious partner for OneWeb as we set out to deliver robust, high-speed, low latency reliable and global connectivity for all aircraft,” Masterson added.
“Connectivity supports much more than just communications and we are investing in antenna development through our Plane Simple programme, to deliver secure, flexible, reliable solutions to a wider segment of the business and government aviation communities than ever before,” said Jim Jensen, CEO Satcom Direct.
“This is a truly ground-breaking collaboration which is setting out to bring OneWeb’s powerful connectivity to a much-underserved sector of our business aviation community. We are proud to be part of such an innovative, and dynamic group of companies, that will change the way in which small jets, and general aviation operators connect with the world.”