Satnews Daily
February 17th, 2019

SES Selected to Boost Connectivity and Improve Safety and Security of EU's Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems


SES Networks’ managed services will boost connectivity for Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) services of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) provided to EU Member States and Agencies.

These maritime surveillance activities supported by SES Networks are aimed at improving maritime security and safety operations, as well as response to pollution caused by ships, oil and gas installations. The RPAS-driven missions will be carried out in the seas surrounding the European Union or the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries.


Photo of the Hermes Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS).

To enable multiple Long Range Long Endurance RPAS operations for maritime surveillance operations of the member states’ authorities, SES Networks will design and provide deployment and maintenance of SATCOM connectivity during the missions. The managed services will include secure end-to-end satellite and terrestrial links, satellite capacity and teleport infrastructure. Under the agreement, SES Networks will support EMSA’s Beyond Radio Line-of-Sight (BRLOS) RPAS operations, as well as satellite internet services to distribute the RPAS data and enable end-users to remotely follow the mission.

Executive Comments

EMSA’s Executive Director, Maja Markovcic Kostelac, said that good satellite coverage is essential to the agency's long range RPAS operations. This will help EMSA users to gain a more complete maritime picture. The latest SATCOM contracts will enable the transmission of data from multiple sensors in real time, allowing users to focus more closely on the actual operation.

Nicole Robinson, SVP, Global Government, at SES Networks, add this is an honor for the company to support EMSA with SES Networks’ satellite communication services in its critically important maritime missions. To enable real-time long range RPAS data applications, SES Networks will be leveraging the firm's highly-reliable global fleet, which boasts virtually 100 percent availability. Coupled with the managed service, this will give multiple advantages to those fulfilling mission-critical tasks at sea.