The test, conducted using an experimental drone, was able to maintain a constant data connection--at a modest rate of five kilobits per second--even during acrobatic tricks, such as loops or spins. The signal remained 99.95% stable, despite the drone’s constant changes of orientation. This technical feat demonstrates the reliability of LEO (low Earth orbit) networks for mobile use in extreme conditions.
Beyond the performance, this experiment confirms a strategic shift in the way we think about connectivity. The network tested provides global coverage, including in the most isolated or hard-to-reach areas, where terrestrial infrastructures are absent, damaged or inoperable. In the air, at sea, in forests or mountainous areas, these satellite networks can provide a continuous link, where conventional 5G stops.
This test is based on a technology that is well established in current standards. The system uses the S-band frequency bands, already standardised by 3GPP for non-terrestrial 5G communications. These frequencies have the advantage of being compatible with existing equipment, whilst offering greater resistance to bad weather and better penetration of natural environments. Unlike higher bands--such as Ku or Ka--they are not disrupted by rain and can pass through plant obstacles, a decisive advantage for operational uses.
For OQ Technology founder and CEO Omar Qaise, this success demonstrates the concrete potential of a hybrid network, combining the best of terrestrial and space infrastructures. The company, which has been based in Luxembourg since it was founded in 2016, is developing a constellation of satellites dedicated to the internet of things, capable of connecting sensors, vehicles or industrial equipment anywhere on the planet. Its services are based on patented technologies and close cooperation with heavyweights in the sector, such as Aramco, Deutsche Telekom and Telefónica.
Beyond industrial or logistics applications, this breakthrough opens up prospects for aviation, defence, emergency rescue and even connected agriculture. It also foreshadows the next generation of networks, 6G, one of the pillars of which will be precisely this ability to combine terrestrial and space communications in an integrated, universal and resilient architecture.
This article was originally published in French.
