In the mid 1990’s Flightcell were the first to pair a cell phone to a helicopter intercom system. Fast forward 30 years, and the use of cellular technology in aviation has become widespread. It’s now used by first responders, government agencies, business aircraft and commercial airlines.

The primary driver for cellular technology in the air? Costs. There are significant operating cost benefits to using cellular communications for voice, data and aircraft tracking compared to the main alternative to a cellular connection – satellite. The cost of satellite devices and services is typically higher, and satellite data usage fees can be far more costly. Cellular connectivity, on the other hand, is more affordable, and many asset-tracking solutions offer unlimited data plans, providing operators more certainty with operating costs.

Aircraft connectivity using cellular connections

There is no major engineering feat needed to get up and running with cellular connectivity in the air. Our flagship product, the Flightcell DZMx, is the communications equipment of choice - Leonardo, Airbus Helicopters, Bell, Lockheed Martin, and Textron Aviation all factory install the Flightcell DZMx with both cellular and satellite capabilities for their customers. The DZMx is installed under an airframe modification and the connection for the cellular network is through a TSO’d antenna mounted underneath the aircraft offering an unobstructed path to the cell network below. Once the hardware is installed, creating a cellular connection is straightforward. It is as simple as signing up for a voice and data plan from your chosen airtime service provider. You then insert a SIM card into the unit and make a few configuration decisions on device or through the DZMx Connect app.

Common questions we often get asked about using a cellular connection are “how reliable are the cell networks,” “how high we can fly before we lose signal” and “what data rates can we expect.” Unfortunately, there are no clearcut answers. It all depends on factors such as the network technology, coverage, transmit power of the cell towers and frequency bands used. Cellular connections are generally reliable up to 5,000 feet above ground level, with signals being the strongest below 2,500 feet. Availability is vastly improving - the continued spread of cell towers has improved the reliability of cellular communication. For example, there are now over 400,000 cell towers in the U.S., with tower density rapidly increasing now that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has eased restrictions on “small cells” — mini-cell towers that can be installed on light poles and other city infrastructure to expand connectivity options.

Flightcell has sold thousands of cellular capable units across all parts of the world - the majority have been sold to law enforcement, air ambulance, aerial fire and military customers. One limitation with cellular connectivity is in the event cellular networks quickly become overloaded (often occurring during a natural disaster) which can jeopardize an aircraft communicating to ground centers and hinder their ability to save lives and protect civilians. In the United States, this limitation has been overcome - FirstNet (First Responder Network) and the cellular Band 14, a collaboration between AT &T and the First Responder Network Authority (an authority within the US Department of Commerce), have released a dedicated spectrum for first responders to avoid cell network congestion. In the event of an emergency, AT&T will give FirstNet users priority to Band 14 over non-FirstNet users and, if necessary, drop all commercial traffic and dedicate the network exclusively to first responders. For this reason, a normal cell phone might stop working during a crisis, but a FirstNet-enabled device will continue to work, including Flightcell’s DZMx & DZMx PLUS, both of which are FirstNet compatible - supporting all FirstNet features and Band 14.

Data, data, data

Cellular connectivity generally offers faster data transfer speeds than satellite connectivity. Cellular networks are typically designed to support high-speed data transfer, while satellite networks have limited bandwidth.

There is a growing requirement from operators for more data. Flightcell have recently partnered with Guardian Mobility, to offer Iridium Certus 100 mid-band satellite data services. Significant cost savings can be made when data is routed through the Flightcell DZMx cellular option, and when not in range automatically falls back to satellite services, utilizing Guardian Mobility terminals. IP data speeds up to 88 Kbps ensures quicker uploads of data, files, and images as well as improved compressed video streaming. Learn more about Iridium Certus 100.

Cellular limitations covered by satellite connectivity

The most common configuration of the DZMx, includes both cellular and satellite connections, providing full global connectivity. This provides operators the assurance they will always be able to make voice calls, send messages, transmit and receive data and track their aircraft regardless of how remote of their location. Some of our customers, particularly search and rescue and oil and gas operators, are often deployed to remote areas at sea or in dense terrain therefore requiring both satellite and cellular connections to ensure they can reliably always communicate with ground operations with no critical gaps in communication. Utilizing the Iridium satellite network ensures full global connectivity.

Overall, the choice between satellite and/or cellular connectivity will depend on the operator’s needs. If global coverage and accuracy are the top priorities, satellite connectivity may be the best choice. If costs and data transfer speed are more important, cellular connectivity may be the better option. However, if the operator wants the best of both worlds, acquiring the Flightcell DZMx with both satellite and cellular connectivity is the best choice to ensure seamless connectivity.