Boeing's Insitu and Gogo demonstrate satellite-linked drone to rival Starlink

Insitu, a Boeing drone unit, partnered with Gogo's Special Missions division to attach a modified Galileo HDX antenna to the Integrator, a mid-size surveillance UAV. During the trial, the drone accessed broadband through Eutelsat OneWeb's LEO satellite constellation, delivering global, high-speed connectivity without triggering U.S. ITAR restrictions. John Kelly, Insitu's vice president of growth, highlighted the benefit of longer command ranges and faster battlefield data links.

While the companies did not announce a rollout schedule, the test underscores a broader push by militaries to diversify away from SpaceX's Starlink and Starshield services, which have become significant revenue sources for the firm. European governments and parts of the Pentagon have expressed unease about over-reliance on the Musk-run network.