The SpaceDrone-DataLink product

Smart Hybrid Connectivity, SHCHybrid optical/RF links up to 10 Gbit/s, designed to sustain critical communications.

SHC monitors optical and radio channels, anticipates degradation and automatically adapts the link across space, air and ground.

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Optical, capacityActive orchestrationRF, continuity

10 Gbit/sGround-to-ground optical PoC demonstrated in March 2024

Optical + RFPrimary channel and continuity path

PAT demonstratedUAV acquisition and tracking, June 2024

Embedded AIChannel monitoring and local adaptation

TRL 4TRL 5/6 targeted after representative validation

ESA BIC selectionESA BIC Nord France incubation programme

News

SpaceDrone-DataLink progress

SHC results, milestones and company news. The feed is maintained by the team and can combine copy, images, video or audio.

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A named product

SHC brings the functions of an operational hybrid link into one architecture

The product is designed as a consistent chain, from counterpart detection to network-session continuity. Optical carries high-rate flows. RF, 4G or 5G provides continuity depending on the configuration. Embedded processing applies mission rules while preserving human supervision.

Smart Hybrid Connectivity

A compact architecture for mobile platforms and transportable stations, combining capacity, continuity, pointing and security.

Optical communicationsA 1550 nm channel targeting very high-rate transfers.

Pointing, acquisition and trackingThe system locates its counterpart and maintains alignment through motion.

RF continuityAn alternative path protects the session when the optical channel degrades.

Embedded orchestration and cybersecurityExplainable local decisions, encryption, access control and event logging.

Illustration of the SHC architecture linking a ground station, an aircraft and a satellite

Illustrative sequence · XBirds

Dual-use technologies

One communications foundation for civil and defence missions

The sequence illustrates an airborne platform operating in very different contexts. Infrastructure monitoring, civil protection, observation, team coordination and sovereign missions share one requirement: moving useful data at the right time despite mobility and field constraints.

SHC combines optical and radio-frequency links to adapt connectivity to these environments, with embedded cybersecurity, cryptography and orchestration functions.

InfrastructureCivil protectionSovereign missions

Priority markets

Three routes to market, with an explicit maturity order

Each segment states the customer, operational problem, SHC configuration and pilot metric. Future benefits are presented as measurements to obtain, not as achieved integrated performance.

Illustration of a long-endurance UAV using an optical link

PRIORITY 1

Airborne and critical infrastructure

Target customer: UAV operators, ports, industrial and institutional users.
Problem: Move large data flows from a mobile platform despite network interruptions.
SHC configuration: Transportable ground station, UAV terminal, primary optical link and RF/4G/5G continuity.
Pilot measurement: Useful throughput, acquisition time, session availability and switching time.
Maturity: Optical and PAT PoCs completed separately, end-to-end integration still to demonstrate.

Illustration of a transportable optical ground station

PRIORITY 2

Resilient ground stations

Target customer: Station operators, telecom integrators and critical-site managers.
Problem: Maintain reception when weather or site availability disrupts optical links.
SHC configuration: Supervised optical station, site diversity and radio backup.
Pilot measurement: Availability, aggregate throughput and inter-site service continuity.
Maturity: Architecture defined, multi-site and representative-condition validation pending.

Illustration of an optical communications terminal in low Earth orbit

PRIORITY 3

Low LEO and future services

Target customer: Prime contractors, constellation operators and institutional programmes.
Problem: Move more data while controlling link availability.
SHC configuration: Compact terminal, PAT, on-demand optical capacity and operator-network interface.
Pilot measurement: Throughput, pointing stability, mass, power and session availability.
Maturity: Maturation path defined, space qualification not yet achieved.

Evidence and next milestone

Two demonstrations completed, full integration still to prove

SDDL separates achieved results from programme targets. Partners can therefore assess maturity and remaining risk without ambiguity.

Illustration of a photonics laboratory bench, not presented as a photograph of the SDDL prototype — Context image. A dated SDDL prototype or test-bench photograph will be published after its release status is validated.

Documented results

March 2024

10 Gbit/s optical ground-to-ground PoC

Optical transmission demonstrated between two fixed points.

June 2024

UAV PAT PoC

Acquisition and tracking demonstrated on a mobile airborne platform.

Next milestone

Integrated hybrid demonstrator, targeting TRL 5/6

Validation of the link, pointing, turbulence response and network switching in a representative environment.

The intellectual-property portfolio is not quantified here because the available records do not yet converge on one approved public number.

“Link performance is not just a matter of throughput. It is the ability to remain useful throughout the mission.”

Vision

Turn optical capacity into an operational service

Onboard sensors generate data volumes that conventional links struggle to carry. Optical communications offer the required capacity, but availability depends on weather, pointing, vibration and platform motion. SHC addresses these constraints as a system problem.

Embedded processing monitors channel quality, detects degradation and applies a mission-defined strategy. If optical capacity is no longer sufficient, RF preserves priority traffic. When conditions recover, optical can be restored. The operator retains supervision and security rules remain explicit.

Team