Case study: AIR6 SYSTEMS – BVLOS Power Line Inspections with Gotonomi UAV Satcom Solution

AIR6 SYSTEMS, specialists in advanced UAV operations, conducted successful Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) power line inspection trials using Gotonomi’s innovative UAV satcom solution. Employing the AIR8 Medium Lifter UAV equipped with Gotonomi’s Velaris Multilink terminal, 200-A Omni external antenna, and Videosoft Global’s low-bandwidth video streaming software, AIR6 SYSTEMS achieved real-time, low-latency video streaming, reliable command and control (C2) over satellite, and successful LTE-to-satcom failover. This technology enabled seamless distribution of high-quality footage and flight data to multiple locations across Europe.

Objective

The primary goal of the trials was to undertake an end-to-end autonomous mission using the Multilink terminal for primary comms. Secondary goals were to validate the resilience and reliability of Gotonomi’s solution under real world conditions, e.g. limited bandwidth and latency sensitive conditions. Specifically, AIR6 SYSTEMS sought to demonstrate robust LTE-to-satellite handover capabilities, ensuring uninterrupted telemetry and video streaming.

Gotonomi Support

Gotonomi’s engineering team provided support throughout the process, from initial planning to field execution. Guidance and support were provided for the integration of the Velaris Multilink terminal and 200-A Omni antenna, power supply management, heat dissipation strategies, and optimal antenna positioning. Gotonomi also provides detailed documentation covering hardware installation, user interfaces, and API integration.

The team conducted preliminary ground tests at AIR6 SYSTEMS’s Klagenfurt facility in southern Austria. The subsequent UAV trials were performed in a designated flight testing area nearby, where Gotonomi engineers collaborated closely with AIR6 SYSTEMS to confirm both satcom and LTE functionality.

Results

The trials confirmed the Velaris Multilink terminal’s performance, showcasing reliable command and control (C2) capabilities via satellite communication. LTE connection demonstrated significantly greater data rates, ideal for detailed video inspections, but crucially, the system seamlessly handled automatic failover between LTE and satellite networks. Additionally, we were able to demonstrate the speed at which the system can be flight ready – system boot to ready-to-fly with satcom connected was achieved in <2 minutes.

Using Videosoft Global’s low-bandwidth video streaming software run on the Multilink’s onboard computer, AIR6 SYSTEMS successfully streamed video in parallel with C2 telemetry over satellite. Debugging tools provided by Gotonomi enabled precise monitoring of signal strength, data rates, network allocation, and overall system health, ensuring optimal performance throughout the tests.

Gotonomi has proven to be a highly competent and reliable partner to us. The Multilink system exceeded our expectations.”
– Alex Fraess-Ehrfeld, AIR6 Systems CEO