The TEKEVER Group, a Portugal-based drone manufacturer, and ViaSat, a California-headquartered provider of broadband and communication technologies and services, have announced a strategic alliance to expand the flight range of civilian drones.
This joint collaboration will bring ViaSat's communication technologies onto TEKEVER's drone platforms to push the boundaries of unmanned aircraft system (UAS) range for beyond line-of-sight (BLOS) applications.
‘This partnership will increase our capability to deliver more effective solutions for multiple mission profiles, including maritime surveillance, emergency response and monitoring of critical infrastructures,” says Ricardo Mendes, TEKEVER Group’s chief operating officer.
‘Joining [TEKEVER] will allow us to adapt our technology to new types of applications that we believe will change the future of civilian BLOS UAS applications,’ adds Stefano Vaccaro, managing director of ViaSat’s antenna systems division in Switzerland. ‘This has a significant worldwide market potential that aligns with the strategic roadmap of both companies.’
The first use cases that the companies will demonstrate are maritime monitoring and critical infrastructure surveillance.
