Greater resilience. Better performance. More secure. Less cost.
In the rapidly evolving landscape of Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) and tethered drone technologies, reliable signal processing is paramount. The demand for increased autonomy and advanced capabilities in these systems places a greater emphasis on robust, secure, and efficient connectivity solutions.
A tethered payload, whether an aerostat, drone, or a sensor array, represents any device or equipment attached to a ground-based or airborne platform via a physical tether or cable. This tether serves as a lifeline, providing a continuous supply of power to the payload, enabling real-time communication for control and data transfer, and ensuring stability and positioning, even in challenging environmental conditions. The length of the tether defines the operational range of the payload, allowing it to operate at a safe yet effective distance from the platform.
Tethered ISR Systems: Persistent Surveillance and Secure Communication
ISR, which stands for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance, leverages tethered payloads to gather crucial information and conduct surveillance operations. Tethered ISR systems offer distinct advantages over their free-flying counterparts, including persistent surveillance capabilities, allowing for continuous monitoring of areas of interest. Moreover, the physical tether provides a secure and reliable communication link, minimising the risk of interception or jamming that can plague wireless transmission. This enhanced security, coupled with the extended endurance and reusability of tethered platforms, translates to reduced operational costs compared to deploying multiple free-flying systems.
Next-Generation Connectivity Solutions for Tethered Payloads
Astute Group is an authorised distributor and design-in partner for Huber+Suhner, a global leader in connectivity solutions, who remains at the forefront of addressing the challenges associated with tethered payloads and ISR systems. With a proven track record of providing compact, high-performance connectivity for modern tethered ISR systems, Huber+Suhner understands the evolving needs of this industry.
As the demand for highly autonomous tethered systems grows, so does the complexity of tether connectivity. To overcome the limitations of traditional coaxial cable solutions, Huber+Suhner offers innovative RF-over-fibre tether solutions that revolutionise signal processing.
RF-over-Fibre: Simplifying Tether Complexity and Enhancing Capabilities
By utilising RF-over-fibre technology, Huber+Suhner enables the backhauling of signal processing to the base station. This strategic shift brings multiple benefits:
- Reduced payload weight: Moving signal processing away from the payload itself leads to a significant reduction in its weight and overall complexity. This, in turn, enhances the payload’s agility and operational efficiency.
- Simplified tether design: With fewer signal processing components onboard, the tether design becomes less intricate and more streamlined, contributing to improved reliability and ease of deployment.
- Enhanced security: Centralising signal processing at the base station strengthens security measures, making the system less vulnerable to interception or jamming attempts, a crucial advantage over more easily tapped coaxial cables.
- Increased bandwidth and distance: Optical fibre’s capacity to carry significantly more bandwidth over greater distances, with reduced signal impairments, translates to superior performance and eliminates the need for costly signal conditioning equipment.
- Future-proof flexibility: RF-over-fibre’s independence from RF signal format, frequency, and bit rate ensures adaptability to future communication standards. Additionally, Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) enables combining multiple channels onto a single fibre, optimising distribution efficiency.
- Cost-efficiency and reliability: The reduced size, weight, and installation complexity of optical fibre cables, coupled with their inherent reliability and resistance to environmental factors, lead to long-term cost savings and improved operational readiness.
Huber+Suhner’s RF-over-fibre tether solutions represent a significant leap forward in connectivity for tethered payloads and ISR systems. By providing greater resilience, improved performance, enhanced security, and reduced costs, these solutions empower the next generation of autonomous and intelligent aerial platforms.
In addition to their superior all-optical switch products, Astute Group can offer Huber+Suhner’s suite of best-in-class RF and fibre optic components and systems necessary for complete end-to-end RF-over-fibre solutions. This includes RF cables, connectors, RF-to-optical transceivers, multiplexers for multi-channel operation, and a variety of fibre and RF cabling and cable management products. Huber+Suhner’s capability to provide complete turnkey solutions for RF signal distribution, from antenna to control room, solidifies their position as a trusted partner in delivering reliable and advanced connectivity for critical ISR and tethered drone applications.
Do you need fast, friendly, expert advice on the best technologies?
Memory. Power. Passives. Discretes. Interconnects. Cabling.
Our experienced, dedicated engineering and procurement teams are available to support your projects.
Try us – it only takes a few minutes.
