13 Apr 06. ND SatCom, a leading global provider of satellite-based communication network solutions for commercial and defence applications, has together with its partner BASE TEN finalized the world’s first unmanned ‘Satcom on the Move’ controlled robotic vehicle system, RoboScout®, to the German Armed Forces. The demonstration presentation of the vehicle marked the conclusion of a research study assigned by the German Armed Forces, aiming at producing an unmanned robotic vehicle with ‘Satcom on the Move’capabilities.
Under the leadership of BASE TEN, a group of German midsize companies has designed and built a modular, autonomous, satellite-basedoverland-robot system for surveillance, protection and reconnaissance purposes. Such an unmanned vehicle could be put in use during out of area missions and is operated remotely from the home base in Germany, or from any other location where the RoboScout® Communication Center is set up. The future system is made up of one or several robotic vehicles named Geckos, various payloads and a communication center from which the robotic vehicles can be remotely controlled. The vehicles are connected to the communication center via satellite and can transmit and receive data while in motion.
ND SatCom’s responsibility within this project was providing the ‘Satcom on the Move’ communications solution, a task that was successfully realized within a timeframe of less than seven months. The solution consists of satcom equipment placed in the vehicle, as well as in the communication center for the transmission and reception of data via satellite. The current ‘Satcom on the Move’ vehicle can transmit surveillance and reconnaissance data up to 2 Mbps and receive control channel data up to 128 Kbps.
BASE TEN and ND SatCom have received a follow-up order from the German Armed Forces for other ‘Satcom on the Move’ components to be delivered in 2006.
“ND SatCom has delivered the ‘SatCom on the Move’ terminal for the first satellite controlled military robotic vehicle in the world. I am very proud of our engineering team which mastered this challenging task within an incredibly short timeframe. Through the application of our proven SkyWAN® MF-TDMA product, the next step in our development work will be to reach an in motion transmission speed of 4 Mbps for surveillance and reconnaissance data”, says Harald Reder, CEO of ND SatCom Defence.
ND SatCom is a leading global supplier of satellite-based broadband VSAT, broadcast and defence communication network and ground station solutions. ND SatCom’s innovative technologies are deployed in broadcast & media, enterprise, telecom, government and defence environments worldwide. As a global company with more than 25 years of experience in the satellite networks and systems businesses, ND SatCom is a reliable source of comprehensive and secure turnkey and tailored system engineered solutions. ND SatCom is represented by regional sales and service offices worldwide. It is a 74,9%-subsidiary of AUGUSTA Technologie AG and a 25,1% subsidiary of SES Global.