Drone-based validation of optical ground stations
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DOI of the original publication
Related research data
Project type
angewandte Forschung
Project start
01.09.2026
Project end
31.05.2028
Project status
laufend
Project contact
Project manager
Contributors
Description
Abstract
Optical ground stations for laser communication must be validated before entering service, which today requires a satellite pass: rare, weather-dependent and impossible to repeat on demand.
In this ESA ARTES 4.0 activity a drone carries a payload that emulates an optical satellite terminal and is flown against the ground station instead.
FHNW is subcontractor to General Atomics Synopta and develops the airborne payload and tracking system, the optical design, the gimbal and fine-steering hardware, the optical modem and the software integration, and carries out the free-space validation measurements. The project concludes with a demonstration flight.
Link
Created during FHNW affiliation
Yes
Strategic action fields FHNW
School
Hochschule für Technik und Umwelt FHNW
Institute
Institut für Sensorik und Elektronik
Financed by
European Space Agency (ESA). Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) programme
Project partner
General Atomics Synopta GmbH
Ateleris GmbH
Ateleris GmbH
Contracting authority
SAP reference
T456-0151-2 (DBV-OGS)
Keywords
Free-space optical communication
Optical ground station
Drone-based validation
Pointing, acquisition and tracking
Optical ground station
Drone-based validation
Pointing, acquisition and tracking