Elsight, a provider of drone connectivity solutions, has unveiled a worldwide version of its Halo drone communications platform. The new offering will allow drone operators to use a single Halo system across the globe to communicate with their drones without necessitating changes to cater to varying cellular systems.
The company's Chief Executive Officer, Yoav Amitai, declared that launching this universal Halo communications modem will propel the drone industry forward, creating a more streamlined and cost-effective solution for operators. It grants them the ability to operate in different areas without needing to modify their equipment to accommodate region-specific modems.
"Several of our customers who operate across various continents brought this requirement to our notice," remarked Amitai. The new worldwide platform will eliminate the need to replace Halo modems each time operators traverse different regions with varying cellular communications providers, he added.
Furthermore, Elsight now provides the option of utilising a universal SIM card as opposed to country-specific versions. This development could potentially allow drone companies from Australia, for instance, to operate seamlessly in Asia, Europe or the United States using identical modems.
As the adoption of universal SIM cards increases alongside the implementation of the new Halo modem, resultant benefits for Elsight's supply chains should be noticeable, with expected reductions in production costs. "The escalating usage of worldwide SIM cards will expedite our supply chain reducing costs for elevated productivity", explained Amitai.
He further highlighted that their Halo system has been making significant headway in multiple markets worldwide. Amitai cited an instance where the Sphere Drones, powered by Halos’ connectivity, maintained their flight path without interruption during a broad service outage by an Australian service provider, Optus.
Crucially, despite its global application, the updated Halo will continue to maintain a low weight, power and size, ensuring optimal SWaP and portability. The unique system creates a singular bonded tunnel from multi-links, including LTE, 5G, SatCom and RF links, thereby ensuring continuous connectivity and communications between a drone (either UAV or UAS) and its ground control stations.
Remarkably, in any static, portable or mobile state, the Halo system can host up to 4LTE/5G modems, while optionally also accommodating RF and SAT links via an ETH/UART port. This consolidated connection improves reliability and enhances data transmission.
Since unveiling the worldwide Halo, Elsight has noted a substantial uptick in orders for the platform. In December, the company reported that it had secured over USD $350,000 in orders for Halo units from both new and existing partners. A notable collaborator includes DroneUp, a prominent autonomous drone firm based in the United States, which conducts deliveries for the retail behemoth, Walmart. Intriguingly, the majority of these fresh orders were beyond Elsight's existing business pipeline.