Rotorcraft
Cobham Goes To the X-Stream for Helo Connectivity
Cobham's new SB-Helo X-Stream service promises fixed-wing level satcom connectivity for helicopters.

SB-Helo X-Stream, a new service from Cobham with Inmarsat to improve helicopter satcom connectivity, is now live. Rotorcraft, especially the larger types, can often experience problems in airborne satellite connectivity due to a phenomenon called “rotor shadowing.” In most cases, the installation of the satellite antenna is below the rotor disc and its in-motion blades can cause interference with data transmission, leading to data packet loss.

While some degradation is acceptable, as the packet loss approaches 40 percent the connection becomes unusable. The wider the chord on the blade, and the more of them there are, the higher the degradation becomes.

In this article