Elsight’s 5G Halo platform elevates Lockheed Martin’s Indago 4 drone for enhanced missions
The 5G-ready Halo connectivity platform developed by Israeli company Elsight (ASX: ELS) has been integrated with the Indago 4 drone built by US aerospace firm Lockheed Martin under a strategic collaboration exercise to complete beyond visual line-of-sight flights.
The Indago 4 is a backpackable, electrically powered and rapidly deployed uncrewed aerial system (UAS, or drone) purpose-built for vital missions, with a capabilities suite designed for military and security forces applications.
It typically carries high-resolution daytime or electro-optical (infrared) camera systems with significant zoom capabilities to accurately identify people, objects, vehicles and weapons.
Expanded reach
Integration with Halo provides the drone with enhanced capabilities and expanded operational reach.
The platform is expected to enhance the drone’s wireless dispersion capabilities for maintaining solid communication links across various terrains, obstacles and distances with uninterrupted information flow across real-time video feeds and critical telemetry data.
The exercise has provided Lockheed Martin with an immediate solution for its customers, the majority of whom are within the US Department of Defense and other federal government agencies.
Situational awareness
Elsight co-founder Roee Kashi said Halo had been designed to provide real-time situational awareness in difficult defence and public safety scenarios.
“Ultimately, field commanders need to make strategic decisions at any moment and should have the widest ‘lens’ possible with all the critical information,” he said.
“With Halo’s integration, the Indago 4 can become the ‘eyes’ of any commander and their control centre.”
Connectivity solution
Launched in 2019, Elsight’s Halo platform is designed to deliver “absolute connection confidence” worldwide, even in areas with little reception.
It is believed to be the world’s first AI-powered connectivity solution for unmanned vehicles, guaranteeing constant uptime and connection between the drones and ground control stations.
Halo provides the technology and critical communications tools required to operate drones and unmanned vehicles at distances where the pilot is no longer able to observe the aircraft with the naked eye, known as “beyond visual line-of-sight” or BVLOS.
It is considered to be the third and final range of drone operations.