Somewear Labs Introduces Horizon Radio to Advance Long-Range Drone Communications

Somewear Labs has released Horizon, a multi-network radio designed to provide resilient command and control for unmanned systems operating in long-range and contested mission profiles.

The hardware addresses a critical challenge in modern autonomy: maintaining control and mission relevance when standard Line-of-Sight (LOS) links are broken. By automatically transitioning between LOS and satellite connectivity during link degradation, the system ensures that operators can maintain command continuity. This allows for real-time mission plan updates, waypoint control, and flight mode changes even when a platform operates Beyond-Line-of-Sight (BLOS).

For original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and defense programs, Horizon is built with a focus on low Size, Weight, Power, and Cost (SWaP-C). This design allows for the integration of BLOS capabilities at scale without requiring a complete redesign of existing Command and Control (C2), Ground Control Station (GCS), or autonomy stacks. The radio is standards-based, supporting protocols such as MAVLink to reduce the need for specialized firmware rewrites or custom protocols.

James Kubik, Somewear Labs’ CEO and Co-Founder, said, “As new unmanned systems like LUCAS deploy in support of Operation Epic Fury, and the Pentagon’s Drone Dominance initiative accelerates production to hundreds of thousands of attritable systems, innovation in UAS is surging. Yet most platforms still rely on legacy line-of-sight communications designed for past conflicts. We’re changing that. For the first time, operators and OEMs have an affordable, integrated LOS and BLOS solution purpose-built to enhance survivability in the modern fight.”

The system also provides tools for managing RF signatures, allowing operators to configure the device for LOS-only or BLOS-only modes to match the specific threat environment of a mission. To improve situational awareness across the chain of command, Horizon can automatically route telemetry and mission data into the Team Awareness Kit (TAK) and other mission systems through API-driven integrations.

Somewear Labs, which specializes in software-defined networks for critical communications, developed the solution to support various Department of War priorities. These include one-way attack missions, tactical reconnaissance, and distributed operations where survivable, affordable, and scalable unmanned systems are essential.

Somewear Labs will be exhibiting at:

• XPONENTIAL 2026, May 11-14, Booth 17032
• SOF Week, May 18-21, Booth 1648