Game-changing antenna technology takes centre stage

Transcription

1 ...Antenna Technology C-COM RX array antenna Panel prototype ( 8 modules of 4 x 4) Game-changing antenna technology takes centre stage Satellite antennas have come on in leaps and bounds in recent years. Along with high throughput satellites (HTS) and small satellites/cubesats, antennas have been a major cause of disruptive innovation throughout the entire satellite sector. With smaller form factors and more accurate pointing than ever before, we re teetering on the edge of game-changing technology. Satellite antennas play a vital role in the global communications sector. Whether we re talking about receiving satellite TV direct to home (DTH), using a rural ATM to withdraw cash, sailing on a superyacht in the Caribbean, or traversing bumpy terrain at high speeds as part of a military unit, satellite antennas have become ubiquitous in everyday life for most of the population. The technology itself is complex, and easily-fallible. To ensure smooth and reliable communications, the antenna must be pointed at the satellite with absolute precision; while this may be straight-forward for stationary antennas receiving from GEO satellites, when it comes to mobile antennas on ships or cars, or antennas communicating with MEO or LEO satellites, ensuring the required precision becomes much more challenging. The waves on the ocean or the bumping of rugged terrain means that antennas fixed to vehicles are rarely stationary, and can be liable to jar randomly and unpredictably. Maintaining a signal, then, is a significant challenge that has been met by today s engineers quite successfully. It s inarguable that the satellite antenna technology available today is extremely impressive; we have extremely small form factors, low apertures, and precision pointing even on moving vehicles, all of which allow communications in the most remote and hostile environments. However, to be human is to strive for more, and now we re seeing the next generation of satellite antennas come to life. Flat panel antennas A nod to the future Flat panel antennas (FPAs) are broadly anticipated to revolutionise the entire communications sector. Delivering extremely reliable access to high speed Internet services, with low weight and low aperture, FPAs are considered to be the answer for mobility and Internet of Things (IoT) 10 March/April 2018

2 Antenna Technology... connectivity needs. The surge in demand for connectivity, whether it enables the connected car, Smart cities, commercial flights or defence force missions, is undeniable, and new technologies are a must. NSR s Flat Panel Antennas (FPA), 2 nd Edition report expects a cumulative revenue opportunity of US$9.1 billion for FPA manufacturers until 2026, with mobility applications driving the majority of demand. According to the report, there is significant asymmetry in the market value in the mobility segment, with the aeronautical sector contributing 89 percent of mobility FPA sales revenues. Land mobile is expected to contribute six percent, and maritime the remaining five percent. Inflight connectivity is a controversial area right now; reliable, high-quality connectivity is increasingly being seen as a must onboard aircraft, but according to reports, most service providers are struggling to generate a profit on the back of the service. Consumers are viewing WiFi more and more as a right rather than an add-on that requires paying for, thus service providers are expected to shift their focus to creating operational efficiencies for airlines in the near future. As such, FPA manufacturers are expected to face certain challenges in convincing airlines to invest in their new technologies. A monumental year for Kymeta Kymeta Corporation, which has developed a softwareenabled, metamaterials-based, electronic beam-forming antenna for satellite communications, is one of the leading disruptive innovators in the antenna sector. Its technology uses a metamaterials approach as a means of forming a holographic beam, thus the antenna can be dynamically steered using software instead of mechanical parts, which leads to very low-level power requirements. The Kymeta mtenna technology is lightweight and capable of providing large bi-directional feeds with a low-profile and small footprint, based around metamaterials technology. The antenna uses electronic RF beam steering, electronic polarisation selection and angle control, satellite auto-acquisition and tracking to provide connectivity for a wide range of mobile applications, including delivering software updates to connected cars. It s been a good twelve months for Kymeta. August 2017 saw the company receive blanket authorisation from the FCC for commercial distribution of 11,000 of its KyWay terminals, which feature the mtenna u7 antenna subsystem module (ASM), in the USA; this is the first-ever blanket licence issued by the FCC for an electronically-steered, beam-forming flat panel antenna terminal. Kymeta also received an indefinite term, unlimited installation commercial licence from the UK s Ofcom. KyWay terminals will be available under these licences for land mobile, maritime, and fixed Internet of Things (IoT) applications. In September, meanwhile, Kymeta Government Solutions was awarded two grants via the NASA SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) programme to develop very small, space-based, very low size, weight and power (SWaP) flat panel Ka-band terminals for CubeSats and other low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. After two earlier successful deployments across America with the KyTrek 1 and Kytrek 2 demonstrations, October 2017 saw Kymeta partner with SKY Perfect JSAT to demonstrate its mtenna technology across Japan with KyTrek 3. During the demonstration, a Kymeta mtenna ASM was embedded between the roof and the headliner of a Toyota Land Cruiser, and with capacity from SKY Perfect JSAT s J5A SJC satellite, demonstrated the ability to provide uninterrupted, reliable connectivity on the move. Kymeta s mtenna u7 ASMs perform bi-directional communication, even in the most remote areas of Japan, by connecting to satellites like SJC GEO satellites, for daily use and in crisis situations. With the KyTrek 3 Drive Across Japan deployment, we have been heavily focused on ensuring the Kymeta solution will work for first responders, said David Kervin, General Manager and Vice President at Kymeta Government Solutions. First responders require reliable, uninterrupted connectivity in life or death situations and as recent natural disasters have shown, terrestrial communication infrastructure is letting first responders down when time and reliability matter most. In November 2017, Kymeta embarked on a two-week trip across America in its connected Toyota RAV4 to provide a rigorous, real-world proving ground for its KÂLO Internet service. The new service will make mobile HTS Internet access readily-available and easy to buy for the first time ever. Powered by the IntelsatOne Flex network, KÂLO will provide Internet access to industries that require connectivity on the move including military, news reporting, first responders, construction, trains, buses, etc. KÂLO services, when paired with Kymeta KyWay terminals and mtenna u7 ASMs, will connect places and fixed and mobile platforms that have traditionally had limited or no connectivity. According to Kymeta, the KÂLO Trek Across America is also a defining moment in history, making the possibility of a truly connected car a reality. As innovations in satellite connectivity come to market, such as our Intelsat Epic NG high throughput satellites, we are unlocking new applications. Industries recognize that connected cars and other vehicles will enable new services and opportunities for increased efficiency; traditional networks can t support that growth today, said Mark Rasmussen, VP and General Manager, Mobility, Intelsat. Leveraging our global IntelsatOne Flex network, our partnership with Kymeta will bring KÂLO internet services to every corner of the US, and eventually every Kymeta mtenna March/April

3 ...Antenna Technology Photo courtesy of C-COM region of the world. This plan aligns to our goal: Make connectivity accessible to everyone, everything, everywhere, at any time. Kymeta KÂLO services are proof that connectivity can reach every industry, large and small, and be used for any application, no matter where you are, especially while you re on the move. Following on from the KÂLO Trek Across America, December 2017 saw Kymeta launch its KÂLO service with broad geographic coverage, powered by IntelsatOne Flex. According to Kymeta, KÂLO is perfect for situations where companies need to have consistent OPEX pricing for their global mobile and fixed internet services. Initial KÂLO deployments include fixed environments like construction sites, on-the-pause environments like RVs, and mobile environments like trains and smaller maritime vessels. With KÂLO, Kymeta delivers up to 4Mbps mobile Internet service in familiar by-the-gigabyte plans, said Dushyant Sukhija, Senior Vice President and General Manager, KÂLO Business Unit at Kymeta. The release of KÂLO marks a revolutionary change in the way satellite services are purchased and supplied. KÂLO services provide a scalable, flexible, high-performance, high-throughput network with a broad geographic footprint, and we make that happen with service packages that are as easy to buy as a cell phone plan. Later in December 2017, Kymeta Government Solutions successfully completed sea trials on small boats with a US Government customer using the Kymeta KÂLO satellite Internet services bundled with Kymeta KyWay terminals. The trials were performed as the vessels moved from inland waterways to distances as far as one hundred miles offshore, experiencing varying sea states and weather conditions. KÂLO is a fully-provisioned, end-to-end connectivity solution which unlocks global, mobile access for government customers who have historically not had the flexibility, cost advantage, and ease of acquisition KÂLO can provide, said David Kervin, General Manager and Vice President at Kymeta Government Solutions. KÂLO is ideal for training and other applications. It is the ideal complement to the CIR satellite services already utilized by KGS global government customers and easily fits within many government users credit card budgets. Phasor On the dawn of launch Phasor, too, is shaking up the antenna sector with its own innovative technology, which was originally established to solve the challenge of delivering broadband Internet to highspeed passenger trains using low-profile antennas. The technology has since evolved into a powerful flat panel, electronically steerable antenna less than one inch thick, suitable for aeronautical, maritime and land-mobile applications. Phasor s technology uses application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) microchips with electronic beam-forming capabilities. The chips are combined with very small patch antennas to form an element. More than 500 elements are spread across an RF-optimized panel, comprising the basis for a Phasor Core Module. The core modules can be combined into a variety of sizes and configurations to create Phasor s phased array antenna, enabling scalability that has never before been possible. Phasor s unique design will provide flat panel and conformal antennas some 1-2 inches high with low-weight, small footprint, high accuracy, and the ability to deliver broadband speeds exceeding 100Mbps with very high gain. It s been an eventful year for Phasor as well. In March 2017, Phasor was recognised as the Company to Watch by the Mobile Satellite User s Association (MSUA) at its Mobility SATCOM Innovation Award luncheon. Meanwhile, June 2017 saw Phasor announce that it is developing a unique radome made with Dyneema for phased array, electronically steerable antennas (ESAs), together with DSM. The radomes feature exceptional properties designed to achieve optimal performance across all satellite mobility use-cases. Essential for shielding antennas from harsh weather conditions, radomes can be bulky, heavy and can often reduce the efficiency of an antenna. With DSM s experience with Ultra High Molecular Weight PolyEthylene (UHMWPE) for use in radio frequency applications and Phasor s expertise with ESAs, the new radomes are expected to deliver excellent capabilities. With near-zero signal loss, Dyneema Crystal technology helps Phasor optimize it s powerful new ESA for aeronautical, maritime and land-mobile applications, said Dave Helfgott, CEO of Phasor, Inc. In addition to the material s electromagnetic transparency, Phasor chose Dyneema for its superior protection of sensitive equipment in harsh outdoor environments and its extreme light weight which is critical for commercial mobility applications. Later in September 2017, Phasor reached an agreement with OmniAccess to become its commercial launch partner in the superyacht and related maritime broadband services markets. Following a successful demonstration of Phasor s ESA at the Monaco Yacht Show, beta trials are expected to begin early in 2018 with additional partners. Like Kymeta, Phasor has utilised Intelsat s Epic NG HTS network in order to demonstrate its highly reliable, broadband duplex satellite links, including unparalleled return-link speeds of greater than 24Mbps connectivity from a single 71cm equivalent aperture, 12 March/April 2018

4 Antenna Technology... all whilst mounted on a moving platform. We are delighted to expand our relationship with OmniAccess, a recognized innovator and leader in maritime communications services, said David Helfgott, CEO of Phasor. Over the past several quarters, Phasor has made great strides forward and are now at the stage to prepare full Field/Beta testing. With our partner, Phasor aims to provide the best technical solution to the super yacht market; one that is very low profile (two inches high), bandwidth efficient, aesthetically attractive, and scalable to accommodate a range of connectivity requirements. Bertrand Hartman, CEO of OmniAccess, said: We are excited about the excellent test results we have achieved together with Phasor, and are delighted that we are now one important step closer to making this radical new product available to our clients in the very near future. The Phasor Maritime Quantum Aperture offers a unique combination of low profile and high performance, whilst offering unprecedented scalability and many other advanced features. It has the potential to become a real game-changer, particularly when used to provide demanding ultra-high bandwidth services such as those provided by OmniAccess. October 2017 saw Phasor take the next step in its journey, having raised US$16 million from a group of leading satellite communications mobility companies, financial investors and shareholders. After successfully closing its oversubscribed B-Round funding, Phasor has moved on to Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 8, which will see the team preparing for beta test activities. Upon completion of successful field tests, Phasor will release its first maritime and land mobile ESA products, followed by its initial products for the aviation sector. Phasor s mission is to empower mobile broadband access across all commercial use-cases and markets, and it is on track for commercial product release, Dave Helfgott, CEO of Phasor, told Satellite Evolution. Phasor is dedicated to meeting the growing, underserved and unmet needs of today s network-centric travellers, who require broadband access everywhere, whether that is in-flight, at sea or over land. With the advent of new wideband NGSO constellations such as OneWeb, LeoSat and Telesat, the market for enterprise mobile broadband connectivity is poised to takeoff geometrically. Broadband connectivity markets for aeronautical, maritime and land-mobile use-cases, which received a recent boost from the first wave of activity around Geosynchronous High-throughput Satellites (GEO-HTS), will see another great boost as the second wave of wideband NGSO systems come online. These will improve latency, global coverage and the user-economics of mobile connectivity Phasor ESAs will not only communicate with each kind of satellite system (GEO/MEO/LEO), but will be interoperable between them from a single aperture, explains Helfgott. This is currently impossible with the state of the art in mechanically-steered SATCOM antennas. The Phasor antenna system will be available in multiple iterations and frequency bands, but are all designed around the same core technology. There are some customers that want Rx (receive) only. There are some who have requested Tx (transmit) only. There are many more that want a fully duplex (Rx/Tx) ESA system, continues Helfgott. Our Release 1 Products will address each of these requirements in each target markets and Use-cases. We are already designing and developing our Release 2 products which will demonstrate even more feature functionality, to be offered in the future. C-COM Satellite Systems Inc enters the phased array antenna field C-COM Satellite Systems Inc is at an earlier stage of development than Kymeta and Phasor; the company has made great strides in recent years towards launching a phased array antenna based around a modular design that uses an advanced software algorithm to control and calibrate the modules. A single C-COM antenna will include hundreds of the individual modules, and mass production methods will streamline development costs. Working with C-COM, the University of Waterloo has invented a beam-forming calibration algorithm which will enable the antenna to operate, in addition to correcting for any external influences such as age or environmental factors. A beam-forming computer will identify the entire system, the properties of every module, and record data. C-COM says that it expects to deploy low cost, low weight, low profile Ku, Ka or hybrid Ku/Ka-band antenna system combinations for fixed and mobile satellite broadband March/April

5 ...Antenna Technology Photo courtesy of Phasor communication applications. The antenna s modularity and ability to conform to curved surfaces will make it possible to connect cars, boats, ships, trains, buses and aircraft with a reduced form factor. This new system, and its extension to higher millimetre-wave band, will also be able to be deployed in telecommunications for the next-generation 5G mobile cellular and millimetre-wave automotive radar. C-COM announced the development of a patent-pending technology to be used with its next-generation mobile phased array antennas in 2014, produced in partnership with the University of Waterloo. Dr Safieddin Safavi-Naeini, Professor at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Waterloo, commented: The phased array under development uses a unique phase shifter technology based on an electrically controlled material that changes the propagation characteristics and phase in a fast and smooth manner. No appreciable loss is observable in a very small footprint over the entire Ka-band range. The new concept is fully compatible with low-cost integrated passive technologies for large arrays. Another unique characteristic of this technology is its almost phase-shift independent insertion loss, which will pave the way for a fully passive phased-array technology - the Holy Grail of the intelligent antenna community. In May 2016, C-COM successfully tested its first 4x4 Kaband phased array modules based on its patented phase shifter technology. The 4x4 Ka-band intelligent antenna module uses a low-cost multi-layer planar circuit based on innovative architecture that is highly flexible, thin, modular, conforming and adaptive. The initial results were very promising; even with a few antenna elements turned off, the module still delivers an acceptable radiation pattern without significant performance degradation. This graceful degradation is another unique advantage of the intelligent array systems, which have been implemented at the smallest module of this novel architecture, said Dr Safavi-Naeini. Another 1x4 prototype passive phased array module designed without any active components was also tested and validated for Ka-band electronic beam steering using C- COM s material phase shifter technology. The results showed that electronic beam steering of up to 30 degrees from the normal direction with minimal impact on the beam shape is possible using an extremely simple and low-cost structure consisting of the patented phase shifter. No active devices were required, and there was no need to adjust the antenna excitation amplitude. Low insertion loss of the patented phase shifter over the entire range of the phase shift and operational frequency band opens up, for the first time, an exciting new possibility for developing high-performance, passive phased array systems, without the need of active devices between the phase-shifters and antenna elements. This transformative concept will significantly reduce the cost and complexity of phased array systems and hugely expand the phased array market for flat panel mobile antennas, said Professor Safavi- Naeini. Meanwhile, November 2016 saw C-COM develop a patent-pending new technology to calibrate a two-way phased array mobile antenna in collaboration with the University of Waterloo. This newly-invented technique provides a faster and much lower-cost calibration process which can be easily integrated with the phased-array system, thus eliminating costly system calibration during manufacturing, said Professor Safavi-Naeini. Another remarkable advantage of this new patent pending design is hardware simplicity and its integration into the phased-array system the entire calibration can be performed during system initialization in the field. This new calibration solution can also extract critical geometrical parameters of the system and identify mechanical misalignment errors. In January 2017, C-COM announced that it was cofunding an Industrial Research Chair held by Professor Safieddin Safavi-Naeini in Intelligent Antenna and Radio Systems for the next-generation millimetre wave mobile communications at the University of Waterloo alongside the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). The five-year project s primary goal is the development of a new modular, low-cost, intelligent antenna for the next-generation of mobile satellite communications. Under the terms of the project, C-COM will own the intellectual property resulting from the research conducted. If all goes as planned, we expect to have a complete proof-of-concept prototype of an electronically scanning Kaband panel antenna to be demonstrated by 2019, said Bilal Awada, Chief Technology Officer at C-COM Satellite Systems Inc. Full commercialisation of the new technology will follow within 18 months, which will target specific markets and Kaband services. Most recently, Bilal Awada, Chief Technology Officer at C-COM, told Satellite Evolution: We have made significant progress over the past year where most of our R&D efforts focused mainly on two major tasks: The completion of design, simulation and optimization of the 4x4 intelligent transmitter and receiver modules, which can be used as building block for bigger sub-arrays using SIW technology. These modules have passed high-level and low-level verification and are now under fabrication. The other significant effort concentrated on the development of the custom MMIC designs for transmitter and receiver. These designs have passed all electrical verifications and now undergoing extensive thermal simulation before submission to fabrication in the spring of this year. He continued: We believe the technology being developed will provide the market with the most cost-effective solution and best performance March/April 2018

6