Hoverfly Technologies chooses unmanned ad-hoc networking from Persistent Systems for tethered UAV
ORLANDO, Fla. – Officials of unmanned aircraft designer Hoverfly Technologies Inc. in Orlando, Fla., needed mobile ad-hoc networking (MANET) capability for the company's small tethered unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) They found their solution from Persistent Systems LLC in New York.
Hoverfly and Persistent Systems have has entered into a five-year agreement for Hoverfly to join Wave Relay Ecosystem, an alliance of unmanned system and sensor companies that integrate the Wave Relay mobile ad-hoc network (MANET) into their products.
Installing Persistent's MANET communications systems on unmanned aircraft will enable Hoverfly UAVs to join land-, air-, and sea-based networks to enable warfighters to share voice and data, including imagery, video, and text.
Hoverfly's tether-powered small unmanned aircraft LiveSky and the BigSky will be part of the ecosystem, with the Wave Relay MANET functioning as the standard communication link.
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Ad-hoc networking enables warfighters operating in the same region to create RF networks on the fly to enable data networking in areas where no communications infrastructure exists. Each Persistent Systems radio acts simultaneously as a transmitter, receiver, and network node -- similar to a cell phone tower.
By incorporating Persistent's MANET radios on their small UAVs, Hoverfly can improve their capabilities in dense urban environments. The tethered UAV capability of the LiveSky and BigSky enable them to reach above tall buildings to spread the network.
Enhanced networking capabilities can provide the warfighter with real-time situational awareness to help them make quick, in-the-moment tactical decisions.
"As the Army is working towards networking the battlefield, the addition of the Wave Relay MANET to our tethered drones enhances capabilities for communications, ISR, rogue reconnaissance, and security," says Rob Topping, CEO of Hoverfly.
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"The Wave Relay MANET can scale and operate effectively in urban environments where the LiveSky and BigSky excel," adds Brian Soles, Director of Business Development for Persistent Systems.
Joining the Wave Relay Ecosystem enables Hoverfly UAVs to work seamlessly with all other Wave Relay MANET-enabled products. The Wave Relay MANET adapts quickly and continuously to fluctuations in terrain and other difficult environmental conditions to make the most of connectivity and communications performance.
The Wave Relay MANET’s proprietary routing algorithm enables users to incorporate vast numbers of meshed communications devices into the network in which the devices themselves form the communication infrastructure.
Persistent Systems Wave Relay radios each use three antennas instead of one to boost communications range and power, as well as to mitigate the effects of multipath and other interference to keep data communications open and operating at high bandwidth.
The Hoverfly UAVs operate at altitudes of 200 feet above the ground, where a tether cable provides continuous power and high speed Ethernet connectivity. With the Persistent Systems embedded MANET module integrated into Hoverfly's offerings, users benefit from the range and performance that the MANET can deliver in this unobstructed, advantaged location for miles of connectivity.
In addition to Hoverfly, the other companies that are part of the Wave Relay Ecosystem are Martin UAV in Plano, Texas; Boeing Insitu Bingen, Wash.; LGS Innovations in Herndon, Va.; Endeavor Robotics in Chelmsford, Mass.; QinetiQ North America in Waltham, Mass.; and Raytheon Co. in Waltham, Mass.
For more information contact Hoverfly Technologies online at https://hoverflytech.com, or Persistent Systems at www.persistentsystems.com.
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