Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Kymeta, Panasonic Avionics In Maritime Antenna Deal

Seattle-based antenna technology developer Kymeta, which is using metamaterials to create flag, high performance satellite antennas, is in a deal with Panasonic Avionics to deploy the company's technology in antennas for the maritime market. According to the two, Panasonic will order "a significant volume" of Kymeta's flat panel antennas, and use Kymeta'ss technology, to manufacture and distribute maritime terminals for vessels worldwide. The antennas are expected to be commercially available in 2017. Kymeta's antennas--which are electronically steerable--are intended to replace very heavy, difficult-to-install, maintenance-prone antennas currently used by mariners for satellite communications. Satellites are heavily used by both commercial shipping and commercial aviation for communications, ship tracking, and international search and rescue via the Global Maritime Ditress and Safety System (GMDSS). Those satellite antennas--typically protected by a big white dome--use mechanically rotated antennas to track moving satellites, which can be problematic in rough, corrosive maritime environments. Kymeta has been working with Inmarsat, a satellite operator heavily focused on the maritime industry, since 2013.