Kymeta and Intelsat have successfully completed the first land-based mobility tests for flat panel antenna technology and produced their first marine-viable prototype, thereby forging the path to a scalable, high quality, low cost mobility solution for superyachts.

The first glass-on-glass, thin-film-transistor-based antenna has now been completed using Sharp’s liquid crystal display production technology. This new generation of antenna is able to transmit and receive signals from Intelsat’s satellites using the same aperture and will be the ‘workhorse’ of Kymeta’s 70cm Ku band product. These developments highlight significant progress towards a mass-volume and low-cost solution.

Kymeta flat panel antenna

“We’re excited about these significant milestones and what they mean for our customers,” said Dr Nathan Kundtz, CEO of Kymeta. “In partnership with Intelsat we’re ushering in a new generation of mobile communications that is lower cost and higher bandwidth.”

The flat panel revolution will fundamentally change the method used to connect antennae to their satellites, as well as allowing superyacht designers to do away with the incorporation of bulky domes.

Rather than relying on mechanical components, the new generation of antennae will make use of software to electronically point, steer and acquire satellite signal, making the processes of installation and usage more streamlined, time-efficient and effective.

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