Hanwha Systems(272210) said on the 18th that it held the first meeting with Austria unmanned aerial vehicle specialist Schiebel to develop next-generation unmanned aircraft for airborne communications.
The two sides began related work under the "exclusive memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the development of an unmanned aircraft for airborne communications" signed in May.
An unmanned aircraft for airborne communications is advanced equipment that mounts a 5G base station and an airborne relay communication device to build a tactical communications network between ground and air, and between air and air.
The two sides plan to preempt the domestic and overseas unmanned aircraft communications markets by combining Hanwha Systems' communications and avionics equipment with Schiebel's unmanned platform.
Hanwha Systems plans to use data and know-how accumulated from operating existing Navy unmanned aircraft in the joint development.
Through this, they will embark on developing a 5G radio frequency (RF) base station module that can be mounted on small unmanned aircraft needed to perform airborne communications missions in maneuver warfare on land, high-reliability navigation technology, and solutions to optimize communications survivability.
A Hanwha Systems official said, "We will further strengthen mid- to long-term cooperation with Schiebel in the rapidly changing global drone market to lead next-generation unmanned aircraft technology," adding, "We will verify the technological prowess of domestically made avionics equipment and widen both domestic adoption and export avenues."