As drone operations expand beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) and into increasingly remote environments, one challenge remains constant: connectivity. How can operators maintain command, control, and situational awareness when flying in places where terrestrial networks don’t reach?
Ground Control specialises in satellite and cellular connectivity for hard-to-reach assets, supporting 4,500 customers across 130 countries, with more than 80,000 devices currently in active use. With almost three decades of experience, the company provides connectivity solutions across sectors ranging from renewable energy and aviation to maritime operations, flood monitoring, and forestry machinery.
To explore this further, we recently sat down with Ground Control's Technical Channel Account Manager, Abdul-Rahman Nasar, to discuss how Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites and Iridium’s global IoT network are shaping the next generation of drone operations.
Why satellite connectivity matters for drones
While many conversations about advanced air mobility (AAM) focus on sensors, autonomy, or regulation; connectivity often remains a critical enabler of safe and scalable BVLOS drone operations.
As Abdul explained during the interview, satellite altitude directly affects latency.
“The lower the orbit of the satellite, the lower the latency, because literally the travel time between the drone, the satellite and the ground station is shorter because it’s physically shorter,” said Abdul.
This is why LEO connectivity is so important. Unlike traditional geostationary satellites positioned around 36,000 kilometres above Earth, LEO satellites operate far closer, enabling faster response times for telemetry, command links, and payload data transfer.
For BVLOS drone missions, even small improvements in latency can make a meaningful difference in operational responsiveness and safety.
Iridium's global IoT coverage for remote operations
Among the various satellite communication systems available, Iridium stands out for one key reason: It’s the only global IoT network, providing consistent coverage from pole to pole.
According to Ground Control, “it is important that Iridium is the only global IoT network, and that’s not going to change in the near future,” as Abdul noted.
This consistency is essential for uncrewed aircraft operating across oceans, deserts, mountains, or other regions where infrastructure is sparse. Iridium also operates in the L-band frequency, which is more resilient to weather interference and supports compact antenna designs that can be integrated into airborne platforms.
A key capability for BVLOS drone operators is Iridium Certus 100, which provides an IP-based narrowband connection rather than simple burst messaging. Certus 100 supports data speeds of up to 22 Kbps uplink and 88 Kbps downlink, which is well suited to real-time telemetry, command and control connectivity, and compressed payload data transmission in areas where no terrestrial alternative exists.
From stop-start commands to operational connectivity
For many early uncrewed systems, satellite communications meant limited command sets; simple instructions like start, stop, go, or return to base.
“And then simply stop, start, go to waypoint, come back,” Abdul summarised.
Today, thanks to advances in both satellite networks and hardware, drones can send and receive far more complex data streams. Ground Control’s Rock Series devices are a prime example of how this capability is evolving.
The RockBLOCK 9603 is a compact module designed to send small amounts of data, around 340 bytes uplink and 270 bytes downlink, using Iridium Short Burst Data.
It is typically used as a failover channel for operators who want a backup command link to ensure their drone can always receive a basic instruction to return or land safely. While its message-based protocol makes it unsuitable for BVLOS drone operations, it remains valuable for redundancy and safety-critical tasks.
The RockBLOCK 9704 builds on this approach by using Iridium Messaging Transport, supporting message payloads ranging from as little as 25 bytes up to 100 kilobytes, and allowing operators to send far richer data than earlier short-burst systems.
Ground Control specifies typical latency of under 10 seconds for message delivery, and the device is designed for low-power environments, drawing less than 5 milliwatts in sleep mode and operating on a 4.0-to-5.3-volt DC input.
“With a total weight of under 50 grams including its patch antenna, the RockBLOCK 9704 is particularly valuable for airborne integration where size, weight, and power constraints are critical,” noted Abdul.
While this message-based connectivity is not intended for high-bandwidth applications, it remains highly effective for safety-critical fallback links, telemetry transmission, and resilient communications in remote operating areas.
Enabling real-time BVLOS operations with the RockREMOTE and Certus 100
At the heart of advanced and BVLOS drone operations are Ground Control’s RockREMOTE UAV and RockREMOTE UAV OEM.These devices use Iridium Certus 100, an IP-based connection that provides as close to real time communication as possible using satellite.
The RockREMOTE UAV provides the same Certus 100 throughput of 22 Kbps uplink and 88 Kbps downlink, enabling richer command and control functions as well as payload support for applications such as environmental monitoring, inspection reporting, and compressed imagery transmission. The device is built for harsh field conditions, with an IP66-rated ruggedised enclosure, and remains compact enough for integration into a wide range of uncrewed aircraft.
“There is this kind of perception that as soon as you have got a satellite link in something, that is it; but it is not all created equal by any stretch of the imagination, and Iridium is hands down the best for this, Abdul explained. "Certus 100 was a real leap forward because it is that narrowband IP connection that is enabling a lot more functionality within a drone.”
This new class of connectivity supports both command and payload data transmission, including compressed imagery and even live video. With support for machine learning and edge processing, operators can analyse and act on aerial data directly from the field, enhancing mission efficiency and decision making.
The RockREMOTE UAV and its OEM variant, developed by Ground Control, are fantastic solutions for establishing reliable Ground Control Station (GCS) links, especially when operating in "dark territory" where terrestrial cellular networks are unavailable.
By stripping away the standard model's ruggedized IP66 casing, the RockREMOTE Mini OEM provides a lightweight (around 288g) and compact subassembly. This makes it ideal for embedding directly into Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and other autonomous systems where Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) constraints are critical.
Ground Control's vision for a conneted future
As drone operations move into the next phase of adoption, from regulated BVLOS drone missions to smart city integrations, reliable communication networks will be as crucial as airspace management or automation.
Ground Control’s scale, with 80,000 devices deployed globally, demonstrates how satellite IoT connectivity is already supporting critical industries today, not only future concepts.
By combining aviation-grade satellite networks, purpose-built hardware, and the Cloudloop management platform, Ground Control is helping drone operators achieve reliable connectivity even in the most remote operational environments.
Drones are only as capable as their connectivity allows. By leveraging low-latency, globally available satellite links, Ground Control is helping the industry take one step closer to a world where autonomous aerial systems operate safely, efficiently, and continuously; even in the most remote corners of the planet.
Are you a decision-maker?
Are you interested in being at the forefront of drone technology? Sponsor our exclusive, invite-only event Aerial Cities, where industry leaders, government officials, and key players discuss the integration of drones into urban landscapes.
