Droniq, a joint venture of the DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung (German air traffic control) and Deutsche Telekom AG, has partnered with Sky Drone, a developer of real-time communication technology for drones.

Through the partnership, Droniq will use Sky Drone’s technology for controlling UAS remotely in real-time and without any limitation in range to offer a complete hardware package for locating, controlling and transmitting data of drones during beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) flights. This technology is also part of the UAS Traffic Management (UTM) system Droniq offers for the German market; a service that facilitates the safe integration of drones into public airspace and provides the basis for broad commercial use of drones over large distances.

“Sky Drone perfectly complements the UTM approach of Droniq and is an essential building block for making BVLOS flights reality,” says Ralph Schepp, COO of Droniq.

“We’ve seen the technology being used at several of our customers in Germany and are absolutely convinced of Sky Drone’s technology and their pragmatic mentality.”

Droniq can now provide real-time communication for drones during their flights now that it is the exclusive partner of Sky Drone. Real-time command and control, video, sensor and telemetry data can be transferred with low latency from the drone to the ground control station and vice versa using the 4G/LTE network of Deutsche Telekom.

This technology complements Droniq’s LTE-tracking module “HOD4track” (Hook-On-Device), which uses the mobile network to send its position every second to the UTM system. That device also receives signals from helicopters, gliders and small aircraft in the vicinity and sends those to the UTM as well, providing the drone pilot with situation awareness of their airspace. To allow other aircraft in the vicinity to see the drone right in their cockpit, the HOD4track broadcasts its own position.

By adding real-time communication with the drone over unlimited distances, the CE-conform product “HOD4command” extends Droniq’s offering. It can be mounted onto any aircraft, and all supported autopilots can be equipped with it, making the UAS controllable over long distances. The data communication is end-to-end encrypted, which means it is protected from unauthorized access.

The HOD4command is based upon Sky Drone technology that is currently being used in Africa and Europe to help deliver medicine and vaccines to hard-to-reach villages. In Germany, it is used for intersite logistics of a large pharmaceutical company.

The structurally identical product “HOD4stream” is available with a larger data plan, which allows video, sensor and telemetry data to be transmitted in real-time. During industrial applications such as maintenance and inspection of pipes and routes as well as in industrial facilities, data can be transferred and analyzed in real-time. Additionally, first responders are already using this technology for remote situational awareness.

“Droniq is the ideal partner for our real-time communication system for drones that’s already being used across the globe,” says Boris Boege, CEO of Sky Drone.

“Their reach in Germany and Europe allows the efficient use as well as safe integration of drones into the public airspace.”