"In Russia, for the first time, the technology of controlling a drone via satellite has been implemented. As part of the joint experiment of Gonets Satellite System and Geoscan company, which was conducted at the Archipelago-2024 design and educational intensive in the Sakhalin Region, location data, telemetry data of the drone were successfully transmitted to the data center of the Gonets satellite system, as well as a command has been sent via satellite to forcibly return the UAV to the launch site," the company said.
In the future, it could be used to track the location of drones where other communication channels are not available.
The tests were conducted with the Geoscan 201 drone equipped with an experimental on-board Gonets modem and antenna in a special lightweight form factor. Ground tests and flights at the Pushisty airfield took place from July 13 to 16. During this time, developers evaluated the ability to establish communications, transmit telemetry data from the drone to the Gonets-M spacecraft, and send commands from the ground control station to the drone via satellite.
A total of six flights were conducted.