Boeing Challenges Starlink with Satellite-Linked Military Drone

Boeing's drone subsidiary Insitu and aviation Wi-Fi provider Gogo have successfully tested a military drone using satellite communications. The test demonstrates growing efforts by governments and defense firms to reduce reliance on Elon Musk's Starlink.

Gogo Special Missions, the military and government arm of Gogo, integrated a modified version of Gogo's Galileo HDX antenna onto Insitu's Integrator drone. This mid-sized uncrewed aircraft is used by military customers for surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

The companies' system would provide the Integrator drone with high-speed global internet through Eutelsat OneWeb's low-Earth-orbit satellite network, which is not subject to US International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). This eases exports to international customers. John Kelly, Insitu's vice president of growth, said their technology extends command-and-control range and allows faster transmission of sensor data from the battlefield.