Elsight, a leading provider of connectivity solutions for unmanned and autonomous systems, has introduced DroneCommX™, an aftermarket upgrade kit designed to enhance the functionality and security of DJI’s Matrice 30 and 350 drones.
DroneCommX™ facilitates more effective strategies for first responder crisis management, improves data security by diverting communications, and enables non-line-of-sight (NLOS) missions. Widely used in public safety, law enforcement, emergency management, and various commercial applications, these drones now offer even greater capabilities with the DroneCommX™ upgrade.
Elsight’s DroneCommX allows users to extend the capabilities of the DJI, while overcoming other challenges. Most notably, commanders and other key personnel can view and analyze the data and video collected by the drone from a remotely located command center instead of watching through the drone pilot’s remote-control console.
All communications are re-routed through DroneCommX’s multi-link LTE connectivity solution, thereby bypassing DJI’s P2P for tighter data security. In addition, the DroneCommX enables the DJI drones to fly non-line-of-sight (NLOS) missions.
“These two DJI Matrice drones are widely used by law enforcement and drone first responder teams for all the right reasons across the globe,” CEO of Elsight Yoav Amitai said. “However, some of the benefits may be outweighed by a few disadvantages leading Elsight to design and develop the DroneCommX, which redirects the communications for better security and enables NLOS flights.”
“As we are involved with several first responder organizations, we understood that first responder teams would be more effective if they could operate their DJI drone fleet remotely from their headquarters or from a mobile command unit instead of using a hand-held remote-control device. With this ‘wider lens’ of viewing all the data and live video streamed from all the drones, commanders and first responder personnel can make better tactical decisions,” added Amitai.
DroneCommX’s additional functionality includes:
- Robust and secure multi-link bonded LTE communications: An aggregated bonded link of 4 LTE modems using M-TLS and AES-256 encryption replacing the DJI standard 2.4GHz communication.
- Jam-resistant communications: As the connectivity is based on an aggregated multi-link LTE bonded propriety technology, the risk of losing a communication link to a jamming attack is significantly reduced.
- Better planning and automation: DroneCommX comes with market-leading, flight operations management software.
- NLOS (non-line-of-sight) connectivity: A drone fleet can fly to remote non-line-of-sight distances, while being controlled from a remote location without the need for human observers.
DroneCommX is based on Elsight’s field-proven Halo, a highly reliable multi-link communications system with over 250,000 flight hours logged. The Halo aggregates multiple IP links to a secure bond using public and private cellular, satellite, and RF technologies ensuring uninterrupted drone communications even in the most challenging environments.
Whether it’s disaster response, surveillance, deliveries or lengthy remote inspections, UAV (uncrewed aerial vehicle) flights powered by the Elsight Halo complete their missions with continuous transmission of high-bandwidth video and data to the command-and-control center (C2).
