The problem
The operator loses the picture the moment a jammer covers the video band, or the feed lags so much that the aircraft cannot be flown by camera.
Video linkAirborne
iMOD/NG
IP video / data transmitter
Wideband agile H.264 transmitter for the airborne side of the video link
430–2700MHzoperating range
20Mbpsvideo / data bitrate
~150msend-to-end latency
300gweight
What iMOD/NG does about it
The crew can move the video channel anywhere in 430–2700 MHz during flight. Latency stays near 150 ms and the stream is AES-256 encrypted IP video that any ground software can consume.
Overview
The airborne half of the video link
iMOD/NG is the airborne half of the SkyComm video link. It takes IP video from the payload over Ethernet, compresses it to H.264 and transmits it as an encrypted digital stream to a DEMOD/NG receiver on the ground. Telemetry from the flight controller rides in the same stream over UART.
The transmitter covers 430–2700 MHz in one unit. The operating channel is chosen in the ground software and can be changed while the aircraft is airborne, so the crew answers jamming by moving instead of by landing. Ground-side spectrum monitoring shows which parts of the band are free.
Output is standard IP video (UDP or TCP, unicast or multicast) that plays in FFmpeg-based tools and mission software without a proprietary decoder. A finned housing with active cooling keeps the RF stage within limits at full power.
Technical specification
iMOD/NG in numbers
Values marked "on request" are in the full datasheet, available under NDA
RF
| Frequency range | 430–2700 MHz |
|---|---|
| Channel selection | Set from the ground station, switchable in flight |
| Output power | on request |
| Antenna connector | SMA |
Video and data
| Video codec | H.264 |
|---|---|
| Bitrate | up to 20 Mbps |
| End-to-end latency | ~150 ms (glass to glass, with DEMOD/NG) |
| Transport | UDP / TCP, unicast and multicast |
| Software compatibility | FFmpeg-based players, IP video pipelines |
| Telemetry | Bidirectional, over UART |
Interfaces
| Video input | Ethernet (IP camera or encoder) |
|---|---|
| Data | Ethernet |
| Telemetry | UART |
Security
| Encryption | AES-256 |
|---|
Physical
| Weight | 300 g |
|---|---|
| Cooling | Finned housing, active |
| Dimensions | on request |
| Supply voltage | on request |
| Operating temperature | on request |
Specifications are subject to change as the product develops. Range and sensitivity figures depend on antenna, installation and RF environment
Integration
On the platform
- Connects to the payload or an IP encoder over Ethernet; no analogue video conversion.
- Telemetry passthrough over UART to PX4, ArduPilot, Pixhawk, Cube and proprietary flight controllers.
- Band, output power, connectors and form factor are manufacturer-configurable per platform.
- Pairs with the Hub Board V5.0 when the platform needs bus conversion between autopilot, payload and radios.
Works with
Complete the link
Next step
Discuss iMOD/NG for your platform
Tell us the aircraft, the payload and the threat environment. We reply with a configuration and a path to a pilot