First published on 12 August.
Satellite communications (SATCOM) have supported aviation for decades, but until recently, they’ve been limited to large platforms, military fleets, or commercial airlines offering in-flight Wi-Fi.
That kind of connectivity isn’t enough for public safety aviation.
Whether responding to a major fire, transporting a critical patient, or conducting a surveillance operation, public safety aircraft need more than entertainment-grade internet. They need real-time, reliable, high-bandwidth communications that support the mission, not distract from it.
What’s Traditionally Used and Why It Falls Short
Most civilian and non-profit aviation still relies on line-of-sight radios and patchy terrestrial networks. While these tools are vital, they don’t offer the consistent, multi-channel connectivity needed for today’s complex operations, particularly when flying over remote terrain, coastlines, or disaster zones.
And while some SATCOM systems are available, they’re often:
- Expensive to install and operate
- Designed for commercial data streaming, not mission-critical needs
- Unsuited to smaller, rotary-wing or light fixed-wing aircraft
- Limited in coverage or latency
FlightSat is Different
FlightSat, developed by Overwatch Aero and brought to Australia by Fire Hawk Services, delivers aviation-grade integration of Starlink, a global low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite network that’s reshaping what’s possible for airborne operations.
What sets it apart?
- High Bandwidth & Low Latency: Essential for video, diagnostics, secure voice, and data-rich systems
- Compact Form: Designed to work with smaller aircraft, including helicopters and turboprops
- Mission-Ready Design: Enables secure, real-time communication with crews, command centres, hospitals, and field teams
- Always-On Resilience: Keeps working when radio towers go down or mobile networks fail
- Built for Safety, Not Entertainment: FlightSat isn’t inflight Wi-Fi, it’s life-critical connectivity
Designed for the Realities of Public Safety Aviation
From firegrounds to flood zones, coastal borders to inland bush clinics, FlightSat is built to serve on complex missions. Whether you're carrying patients, tracking threats, or coordinating multi-agency response, FlightSat provides the communications infrastructure that helps keep people safe and operations informed.
Let’s Talk at AFAC25
We’ll be at the AFAC Conference 2025 in Perth this August with our partners at Overwatch Aero, showcasing how FlightSat is already transforming aircraft across Australia and beyond.
Can’t wait until then? Contact us: FlightSat@firehawkservices.com.au