Israeli firm HiSky, a provider of satellite-connected IoT services, has started early field trials of its Ku-band satellite terminal.
 
Developed over the past year, the Smartellite Dynamic Ku-band terminal helps provide global coverage onshore and offshore, and in territories where the Ku frequency offers an advantage, or where Ka frequencies are simply not available.
 
Enabling a low and medium data rate for IoT applications, the terminal meets a growing demand across a range of industries, including fisheries, fleet management, agriculture, oil and gas.
 
Based on the firm’s innovative Smartellite Dynamic Ka-band terminal, the Ku-band terminal has the same advantages in terms of on-the-move capabilities, weight, size and price. It also uses the same building blocks, such as a built-in modem and phased array antenna technology, and connects to the HiSky360 network management system, managing both Ka- and Ku-band terminals on the same network.
 
Able to communicate with geo and leo satellites, the system has customisation capabilities that will let it work with up-and-coming leo constellations, such as Starlink by Space X and Amazon’s Kuiper, to achieve a high data rate transmission.
 
Having carried out laboratory experiments based on the original design, HiSky is now embarking on trials on Ku satellites with partners and a number of prospective clients around the world.
 
“The development of the Ku terminal is another milestone in our company’s growth process and product portfolio,” said Shahar Kravitz, CEO of HiSky. “It’s important for us to be at the forefront of technological advancement, and to adapt our services to the demands of the current market. There’s no doubt that the launch of this Ku terminal will bring added value to the company and strengthen our position in today’s global satellite arena. This is just one of the exciting developments we have been working on recently; we’ll be announcing more in the near future.”
 
HiSky provides a satellite communication network that enables the provision of robust, low-cost satellite services to large numbers of users, all over the globe. The company’s network, operating on geo and leo satellites, comprises satellite terminals and hub base stations, a mobile application, IoT and M2M interface, and application servers.
 
The company’s products suit commercial IoT, voice and data, and the architecture enables a flexible business model, providing either the full service or terminals and hub equipment, depending on requirements. All the technology integrated into the products is developed in-house, enabling the company to adapt to requirements and respond quickly to market demands.