CTech has developed a hybrid communications concept in which only one vehicle in a swarm of unmanned surface vessels is fitted with a satellite terminal, rather than each vehicle carrying one of its own. This allows the connection with the command center, thousands of kilometers away, to run through that single vehicle; kamikaze unmanned surface vessels without their own satellite terminal can also join the same network and reach the command center through it.
The hybrid communications concept relies on the joint use of the AquaARX Satellite Communication Terminal and the UfukLink Mini Pro line-of-sight communication solution. While line-of-sight communication allows vehicles within a certain range to communicate with one another, the satellite link provided by AquaARX makes it possible to control the swarm from thousands of kilometers away.
How the Hybrid Communications Concept Works
In the setup shown in CTech’s promotional video, only one vehicle in the swarm carries both AquaARX and UfukLink Mini Pro. The AquaARX unit on that vehicle connects to the command center via satellite, while the UfukLink Mini Pro on the same vehicle relays that connection to the rest of the swarm.
Instructions sent from the command center travel first via satellite to the vehicle carrying AquaARX, and from there via UfukLink Mini Pro to the other vehicles in the swarm. Live footage from the field can be transmitted back through the same network, allowing operators to control the vehicles remotely while monitoring the mission in real time.
In this setup, the vehicle carrying AquaARX functions as a communications bridge between the swarm and the command center. The combined use of satellite and line-of-sight communication enables the vehicles in the swarm to move in a coordinated way, in line with instructions relayed from the command center.
🔍 You may also like
Source: C4Defence–CTech
