OQ Technology Claims Europe’s First Drone Video Over 3GPP NTN LEO Satellite Network
OQ Technology has completed what it says is Europe's first drone video transmission over a Low Earth Orbit satellite network using standardized 3GPP non-terrestrial network (NTN) technology and MSS S-band spectrum.
The demonstration saw video transmitted from a compact drone through OQ's LEO satellite constellation using a 3GPP-compliant NTN architecture. Rather than relying on traditional satellite terminals, the system used a lightweight NTN modem integrated directly into the drone, with onboard edge computing compressing and processing the video before transmission.
The approach is designed to reduce the size, weight, power consumption and cost typically associated with satellite-enabled drone communications, which have historically depended on larger VSAT-style equipment.
According to OQ Technology, the trial also demonstrated the ability of drones, IoT devices and smartphones to operate across the same standards-based NTN network, highlighting the growing maturity of direct-to-device satellite connectivity.
The company showcased several potential use cases during the demonstration, including infrastructure inspection, traffic monitoring and autonomous drone navigation. Similar capabilities could support disaster response, environmental monitoring, maritime operations and border surveillance in areas where terrestrial networks are unavailable or unreliable.