Ground Control and the ArduPilot Development Team have successfully demonstrated MAVLink telemetry performance over the Iridium Certus satellite service using the RockREMOTE Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) OEM modem.
This collaboration establishes a practical framework for operating ArduPilot-powered unmanned systems in isolated regions where traditional communication networks are unavailable.
The RockREMOTE UAV OEM is a low Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) modem designed for integration into unmanned aircraft, providing an IP data path for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) Command and Control (C2), telemetry, and edge networking when terrestrial backhaul is unavailable.
Technical evaluations conducted by Stephen Dade assessed the reliability and latency of MAVLink telemetry over the Iridium Certus 100 service. Results showed that, with appropriate configuration, telemetry remained stable with round-trip latencies typically ranging from 600 to 1600 ms, keeping performance within the sub-2-second range. This supports essential situational awareness and C2 functions in disconnected environments.
To manage the bandwidth constraints inherent to the Certus 100 uplink, the testing team recommends configuring ArduPilot stream rates to 2 Hz to fit within available throughput. The study also highlighted the importance of installation variables, noting that antenna placement and local obstructions significantly affect performance, with elevated mounting on roofs yielding superior results compared to low-height suburban placements.
The testing utilized a representative setup including an ArduPilot flight controller, Ethernet bridging, and ground endpoint infrastructure. This configuration provides a practical reference architecture for integrators building satellite-enabled autonomy stacks.
Security was also addressed, with the results validating the use of VPN approaches optimized for high-latency, low-bandwidth links. Ground Control supports architectures that terminate secure tunneling at the gateway and offers WireGuard support for on-link VPN requirements.
Stephen Dade, a member of the ArduPilot Development Team, commented, “ArduPilot powers unmanned systems in some of the most demanding environments on Earth. These results help validate a satellite telemetry approach that can extend operations into truly remote areas, and provide the community with clear configuration guidance.”
Alastair MacLeod, CEO of Ground Control, added, “What’s exciting here is giving builders real architectural choice: lean messaging for efficient telemetry, and IP connectivity when an uninterrupted C2 link matters. Pairing RockREMOTE UAV OEM with ArduPilot testing helps the community design BVLOS links around real constraints like latency, throughput, and installation, and get predictable results.”
