Hughes and SES Demonstrate First Multi-Orbit SATCOM for Remotely Piloted Aircraft
22.9.2021 09:50:00 EEST | Business Wire | Press release
Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES) and SES today announced the successful first demonstration of a new multi-orbit satellite communications (SATCOM) capability for remotely piloted aircraft. Conducted for General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), the demonstration paired Hughes HM series software-defined modems and Resource Management System (RMS) with SES’s satellites that operate in geosynchronous (GEO) and medium earth (MEO) orbits. SES’s unique multi-orbit fleet, which delivers global coverage, high throughput and security, was leveraged to show how unmanned aerial vehicles, such as the GA-ASI MQ-9 series, can maintain crucial connectivity and resiliency, even in contested environments.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210921006196/en/
Hughes and SES Demonstrate First Multi-Orbit SATCOM for Remotely Piloted Aircraft (Photo: Business Wire)
The demonstration replicated a typical unmanned Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) mission, transmitting high-definition video and sensor data to and from the unmanned vehicle to the command center. Based on the mission’s pre-set policies, the RMS automatically switched the satellite signals to stay connected – even when a signal experienced interference and jamming scenarios. A quasi-instant and smooth beam switch took just seconds to complete, allowing a near real-time capability that enhances the military’s Primary Alternative Contingency Emergency (PACE) planning.
“Our multi-orbit demonstration for remotely piloted aircraft delivered three times the throughput of the currently deployed SATCOM service using a terminal less than half the size, while maintaining constant connectivity,” said Rick Lober, vice president and general manager, Hughes Defense. “This highly resilient, significantly reduced SWAP option for primary and secondary aero connections unlocks new beyond-line of sight mission opportunities for unmanned aerial vehicles like the GA-ASI MQ-9. It’s another example of how Hughes empowers our military to exchange information securely with the right people at the right time.”
“SES's second-generation MEO system, O3b mPOWER brings a new age of game changing performance, scalability, and resilience that will enable us to deliver the network sovereignty that governments are looking for,” said Will Tong, Vice President of Strategic Government Initiatives and Head of the Aero ISR market at SES Networks. “The demonstration we did with Hughes showcases the power of the industry’s first multi-orbit networked capability to exponentially increase performance utilizing small terminals, while giving end-users the autonomy to provision networks to meet their operational ISR needs. It also comes at a perfect time as we are preparing to launch O3b mPOWER as the showcased solution ensures both high-performance and multiple layers of network resiliency and security for multi-domain operations that involve moving platforms in remote, austere locations.”
The demonstration was powered by software-defined gateways and modems from the Hughes HM System, a commercially based, frequency-agnostic, open architecture platform for fixed, mobile and portable government applications. For more information about Hughes Defense solutions, including the HM System, visit defense.hughes.com.
Follow us on:
Twitter | Facebook | Youtube | LinkedIn | Instagram
Read our Blogs >
Visit the Media Gallery >
About Hughes Network Systems
Hughes Network Systems, LLC (HUGHES), an innovator in satellite and multi-transport technologies and networks for 50 years, provides broadband equipment and services; managed services featuring smart, software-defined networking; and end-to-end network operation for millions of consumers, businesses, governments and communities worldwide. The Hughes flagship Internet service, HughesNet®, connects more than 1.5 million subscribers across the Americas, and the Hughes JUPITER™ System powers Internet access for tens of millions more worldwide. Hughes supplies more than half the global satellite terminal market to leading satellite operators, in-flight service providers, mobile network operators and military customers. A managed network services provider, Hughes supports nearly 500,000 enterprise sites with its HughesON™ portfolio of wired and wireless solutions. Headquartered in Germantown, Maryland, USA, Hughes is owned by EchoStar. To learn more, visit www.hughes.com or follow HughesConnects on Twitter and LinkedIn.
About SES
SES has a bold vision to deliver amazing experiences everywhere on earth by distributing the highest quality video content and providing seamless connectivity around the world. As the leader in global content connectivity solutions, SES operates the world’s only multi-orbit constellation of satellites with the unique combination of global coverage and high performance, including the commercially-proven, low-latency Medium Earth Orbit O3b system. By leveraging a vast and intelligent, cloud-enabled network, SES is able to deliver high-quality connectivity solutions anywhere on land, at sea or in the air, and is a trusted partner to the world’s leading telecommunications companies, mobile network operators, governments, connectivity and cloud service providers, broadcasters, video platform operators and content owners. SES’s video network carries over 8,650 channels and has an unparalleled reach of 361 million households, delivering managed media services for both linear and non-linear content. The company is listed on Paris and Luxembourg stock exchanges (Ticker: SESG). Further information is available at: www.ses.com.
About EchoStar
EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS) is a premier global provider of satellite communication solutions. Headquartered in Englewood, Colo., and conducting business around the globe, EchoStar is a pioneer in secure communications technologies through its Hughes Network Systems and EchoStar Satellite Services business segments. For more information, visit www.echostar.com. Follow @EchoStar on Twitter.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210921006196/en/
Contact information
Hughes
Sharyn Nerenberg
301-428-7124
sharyn.nerenberg@Hughes.com
SES
Suzanne Ong
Tel. +352 710 725 500
suzanne.ong@ses.com
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
New Esri Press Book Empowers Users to Unlock the Potential of AI with the Power of Geography4.8.2026 17:35:00 EEST | Press release
Esri has released Exploring GeoAI: Tools and Workflows, a practical guide to applying geospatial artificial intelligence (GeoAI) using ArcGIS. Designed for GIS professionals, analysts, and data scientists, this hands-on workbook provides the knowledge and tools needed to integrate advanced AI workflows into real-world spatial analysis. As GeoAI continues to transform how organizations analyze and interpret location-based data, Exploring GeoAI equips readers with the skills to confidently implement deep learning models and workflows. The book guides users through the full GeoAI life cycle—from preparing systems and data to training, evaluating, and deploying models in operational environments. Readers begin by learning how to install and configure deep learning frameworks, assess hardware capabilities, and optimize system performance. From there, they progress through key stages of the GeoAI workflow, including defining project requirements, selecting appropriate data, choosing and trai
Rehlko Defines What It Takes to Build AI-Ready Power Infrastructure as Data Center Energy Demands Evolve4.8.2026 16:15:00 EEST | Press release
Rehlko, a global industrial energy resilience platform providing custom-engineered, integrated power solutions for mission-critical infrastructure worldwide, today released new insights on the power infrastructure requirements emerging from the rapid growth of large language models and artificial intelligence. In its latest eBook, AI Readiness Starts with Power: Designing for Real-World Load Conditions, Rehlko examines how increasingly dynamic AI workloads are reshaping expectations for data center power systems and highlights key infrastructure considerations for operators seeking to scale AI capacity reliably and efficiently. As the eBook outlines, AI readiness is increasingly defined not by installed capacity, but by how systems perform under highly variable real-world load conditions. The AI Power Challenge As investment in AI infrastructure accelerates, data center operators face growing pressure to deploy capacity faster than traditional utility infrastructure can support. At the
HappyRobot Raises $150 Million Series C to Build Enterprise Superintelligence4.8.2026 15:30:00 EEST | Press release
HappyRobot, the company putting AI agents to work across complex enterprise operations, today announced it has raised $150 million in Series C funding led by Prysm Capital and co-led by Eurazeo. Existing investors a16z, Base10, Y Combinator are doubling down with participation from strategics like Koch Disruptive Technologies (KDT), Orange, and T.Capital (Deutsche Telekom), Bankinter, Endeavor Catalyst, Kfund and Wave-X. The round values the company at $1.2 billion post-money, bringing total funding to around $200 million and marking a new stage of growth as enterprises deploy AI agents across mission-critical work. HappyRobot works with more than 150+ enterprise customers, including DHL, Kuehne + Nagel, Naturgy, Repsol, and Uber, and has grown 5x since raising its Series B late last year. After first proving its platform in logistics, one of the world’s most operationally demanding industries, HappyRobot is expanding across the supply chain as well as into insurance, energy and utilit
New 3D Flash Memory Technology from Kioxia and Sandisk Achieves Industry’s Highest Bit Density for QLC NAND4.8.2026 15:30:00 EEST | Press release
Future of Memory and Storage Conference (FMS) – Kioxia Corporation, a subsidiary of Kioxia Holdings Corporation (TOKYO: 285A) and Sandisk Corporation (Nasdaq: SNDK) today unveiled their next-generation Quad-Level-Cell (QLC) 3D flash memory technology, which delivers up to 60% increase in bit density compared to their 8th-generation, surpassing 37 Gb/mm² and setting the industry benchmark1 for bit density, performance and power efficiency. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260804147821/en/ Leveraging the companies’ revolutionary CMOS directly Bonded to Array (CBA) technology2 which fabricates CMOS logic and the memory array on separate wafers before bonding them together with high-precision wafer-to-wafer alignment, the new generation improves read and write bandwidth compared to the 8th-generation 3D flash memory and becomes the industry’s first QLC 3D flash memory technology to reach a 4.8 Gb/s 3 interface. Add
Thredd and Pliant Expand Partnership to Launch U.S. Commercial Credit Program, Accelerate Embedded Finance for Businesses4.8.2026 15:00:00 EEST | Press release
Thredd, the AI-first issuer processing platform, today announced the expansion of its partnership with Pliant, bringing the company’s commercial credit and embedded finance platform capabilities to the U.S. market for the first time. Pliant provides European businesses with physical and virtual credit cards that have built-in reconciliation, spend controls, and deep integrations into modern finance stacks. Through its expanded partnership with Thredd, Pliant has successfully mirrored its established European proposition in the U.S., enabling American businesses to issue commercial credit cards that maintain real-time visibility into spend and cash-flow management. The program is live in the U.S. on the Visa network, with bank sponsorship provided by Coastal. The launch follows a successful soft rollout in late 2025, allowing Pliant to begin onboarding U.S. customers while laying the foundation for long-term growth in the market. “This partnership reflects exactly what Thredd is built f
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom