ViaSat Joins DeSIRE II Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems Project Consortium

ViaSat joined the DeSIRE II Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems Project Consortium, funded by the European Space Agency Integrated Applications Promotion program, European Defence Agency and industry to define regulations and civilian usage for satellite-controlled remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) also known as drones, said the company in a Tuesday news release. The company said it's taking the lead in developing the communication, navigation and sensing technologies for real-time RPAS command and control across Ka- and L-band satellites. ViaSat will help identify civilian service applications for RPAS usage such as environmental monitoring, maritime surveillance and emergency responses, it said. By the end of 2016, ViaSat said the DeSIRE II project is expected to complete a series of flight tests with the Piaggio Aerospace P.1HH Demo Hammerhead platform.