Gilat’s AeroEdge 6000 on display. Photo: Gilat

Gilat Satellite Networks‘s dual-band aero terminal has passed the standard for the environmental testing of avionics hardware, and received the DO-160 certification. Gilat’s Ku-/Ka-band AeroEdge 6000 is now ready to install in all commercial aircraft. The AeroEdge 6000 is a terminal which can operate in both Ka- and Ku-bands, and aims to provide satellite broadband communication for high-speed internet and multimedia applications for commercial airlines.

This terminal could help provide opportunities to High Throughput Satellite (HTS) operators, In-Flight Entertainment and Connectivity (IFEC) service providers, and airlines who want to leverage In-Flight Connectivity (IFC) opportunities with the flexibility to use both the Ku- or Ka-bands. According to the release, Gilat’s terminal is the only open architecture terminal with the ability to switch instantaneously during flight between Ka- and Ku-bands, dependent on capacity coverage and availability.

The terminal includes Gilat’s ER 6000-A Ku/Ka antenna, SkyEdge II-c Taurus Modman, Ku-/Ka-band Antenna Networking Data Unit (KANDU) and Wavestream’s Ku-/Ka-band Radio Frequency Units (KRFU). Gilat expects to see the AeroEdge 6000 flying commercially in 2019.