Electronics Weekly Electronics Design & Components Tech News
“This allows the drone to act as a mobile tower in the skies, granting connectivity across expansive areas, covering up to 28km2 for 4G and even further for P25,” according to Simoco Wireless Solutions, which provided P25 radio equipment for the proof-of-concept. “Imagine a scenario where an individual becomes lost in a remote, rugged mountainous region with no cellular reception. First responders, working with the person’s mobile carrier, could employ the drone to establish a new coverage zone, enabling communication with the missing person.”
Simoco teamed up with Australia’s XM2, provide of the drone, and Vocus whose satellite-to-starlink transceiver and private 4G LTE base station shared space with the P25 radio in the payload.
“The solution enables LTE PTToC [push-to-talk over cellular] for users who lack access to P25 terminals,” said Simoco.
Powered via a 60m or 120m teather, the drone can stay aloft 24/7, except for landing every 12 hours for mechanical checks. As well as two conductors for power, the there are four optical fibres in the tether, one dedicated to controlling the aircraft and three available to the payload.
“We are thrilled to join forces with Vocus and XM2,” said head of Simoco Australasia Peter Scarlata. “By combining private LTE, satellite-to-starlink and our P25, we are pushing the boundaries of what is possible in terms of wireless communication and data transmission.”
New CEO for Simoco
Fred de Haro (right) has just joined Simoco Wireless Solutions as group CEO.
He “brings over 30 years’ experience in growing international technology businesses, notably in the IoT and business critical communications sectors with companies like: Nokia, Tele Atlas [Tom Tom] and Eseye”, according to Simoco. “He is also a serial entrepreneur, having founded a number of tech startups, including global IoT technology company Pycom, which he led from 2015 to a sale in 2022.”
Current CEO Mike Norfield becomes chairman, while chairman Peter Burridge will become a non-executive director.
“Simoco has changed over the last few years, building from its reputation as a professional mobile radio company,” said de Haro. “It is now a global player in mission critical communications products with in-house R&D and knowledge in a number of key vertical markets. Our home markets are the UK and Australia, but new products and the engineering expertise will allow us to address new sectors [and] expand our footprint in territories like North America and Asia-Pacific.”
