Containerized Tethered Drone Communications Solution for Naval Vessels

General Dynamics Mission Systems has been awarded a contract to design, fabricate, test, and deliver Containerized Tethered Elevated Mast (C-TEM) prototypes to the U.S. Navy. The C-TEM contract was competitively procured via the Unmanned Surface Vehicle Family of Systems multiple award contract, and is intended to provide line-of-sight communication extension for surface ships via the use of tethered drones.

Stan Kordana, vice president for Surface Systems at General Dynamics Mission Systems, noted: “General Dynamics Mission Systems leadership as a mission integrator for the Navy’s hybrid fleet is coupled with the innovative offering from our small business teammate Dragonfly Pictures Inc. Our solution will provide extended sensor, network and communications capabilities for the future Hybrid fleet.”

Mike Piasecki, president of Dragonfly Pictures, added: “Terrestrial communications remains a critical tool for digital connectivity for manned and unmanned vehicles. Elevating antennas from moving platforms is no easy task as it requires a well-coordinated dance between air-sea platforms. We believe C-TEM systems can have meaningful impact on future naval unmanned maritime missions around the globe.”

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