Amazon.com Inc. today unveiled a robust antenna that will enable commercial aircraft to access its Internet satellites.
The Amazon Leo Aviation Antenna can download up to 1 gigabit of data per second and upload 400 megabits. According to the company, those speeds make the device the only fastest consumer currently in production.
The launch of the Leo Aviation Antenna comes just days after Amazon CEO Andy Jassy revealed that the company has launched more than 200 Internet satellites to date. They are part of a Low-Earth orbit constellation called Amazon Leo that is scheduled to come online in mid-2026. Going forward, the company plans to launch thousands of additional satellites to help increase coverage.
Amazon’s new aerial antenna shares some features with the Leo Ultra, a roof-mounted antenna that offers the same speed. Company said during the initialization of the last device that it is powered by a custom chip. Additionally, both the Leo Ultra and the Leo Aviation Antenna are based on a dual array design.
Phased array antennas do not spread signals in all directions but instead focus them on a specific target. That helps improve signal strength, which in turn increases connection speed and reduces interference. The increase in quality is made possible by what is known as constructive interference.
A phased array antenna consists of up to hundreds of data transmission modules. Those modules generate radio waves constructively interfering, or colliding to form a single wave. A slight difference in time when the modules generate signals concentrates the combined wave in a certain area. That method makes it possible to direct radio beams without including moving parts in the antenna design.
The Leo Aviation Antenna is a full duplex device, meaning it can transmit and receive data at the same time. A built-in modem translates the satellite signals picked up by the rainbow into digital data that the airplane’s on-board computers can understand.
The device’s modem and other components are housed in a flat chassis designed to withstand harsh weather conditions. It’s 58 inches long, 30 inches wide and just 2.6 inches high, design details meant to reduce drag. Reducing drag, the force in the air that slows the plane down, reduces fuel consumption. Airlines can attach the antenna to the outside of their aircraft using special connectors.
“Amazon Leo can connect a full flight of passengers and crew at a speed that seamlessly handles any activity, whether passengers want to play games, watch a movie, listen to music, or collaborate with colleagues on a task,” said Trevor Vieweg, global business director of Amazon Leo.
Several airlines have already signed up to use the internet constellation. One of them is Delta Airlines Inc., which plans to bring Leo connectivity to 500 of its planes by 2028.
Photo: Amazon
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