Anuvu has successfully completed aerial testing of the Dual Panel Satellite Antenna Assembly (DPSAA) Ka-band antenna, part of Anuvu’s Airconnect Ka inflight connectivity and entertainment platform.
The terminal is designed for a hybrid network configuration and is compatible with both geostationary and future low Earth orbit networks. Anuvu says that, during the latest flight test, the company reached its final milestone in validating the DPSAA design with phase matching of the dual panel capability confirming the unique high-performance RF parameters, including best-in-class performance at all elevation angles.
Simone Giordano, SVP Aircraft Solutions at Anuvu commented: “The aerial test validated that the antenna’s high-speed dynamic tracking smoothly followed flight characteristics in aggressive aerial manoeuvres.
“Following the positive results of rigorous in-motion ground testing, the in-flight milestone now means we can confidently move into the deployment phase for the DPSAA.”
“As airlines continue to invest in connectivity, they need a system that will take them from today’s GEO networks to tomorrow’s multi-orbit networks,” says Mike Pigott, EVP Connectivity at Anuvu.
“The DPSAA allows airlines to choose a connectivity option that provides the most efficient inflight performance today while maintaining fully forward compatibility with non-geostationary networks, saving cost and downtime.”
The DPSAA is the second-generation dual-panel antenna manufactured by QEST. Michael Seifried, CTO at QEST commented: “We are delighted to extend our long-term partnership with Anuvu by offering this outstanding bridging technology for Ka-band multi-orbit networks,”
Anuvu’s testing of the DPSAA follows the successful testing of the first-generation antenna completed on the Telesat Lightspeed LEO test satellite in 2018. Anuvu expects further testing on both GEO and LEO in the coming months.
