Airbus’ Zephyr HAPS. Photo: Airbus.

The Antenna Systems Division (ASD) of Communications & Power Industries (CPI) has introduced a GSA-39KaXY ground antenna providing the high pointing accuracy and reliability to support High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (HAPS) applications, the company stated.

Operating at lower altitudes than satellites, HAPS can be less expensive to operate and more rapidly deployed, making them ideal for shorter-term usage, such as to support emergency communications during regional disaster relief efforts. CPI’s new antenna is designed to meet the needs of HAPS providers, which require a reliable high-performance antenna to provide connectivity to disaster recovery and digital inclusion applications.

CPI’s Ka-band antenna is designed to operate in open air, rather than ensconced in a radome, with a range of reflectors from 0.90 to 1.5-meter in size, and using PC-based control with a P700 ACU. The motorized pedestal provides high-output torque with ultra-low backlash through use of two-stage reduction gearboxes and brushless DC motors. For added reliability, the pedestal is designed with servo amplifiers that offer protection for over-current, voltage and temperature. CPI also offers a range of mounting options for integration of customer-provided RF elements on the pedestal.