Airborne Wireless Network signs deal with Germany’s ViaLight

Pursuant to the MOU, both companies will explore integrating a laser-based communications system with AWN’s proposed Infinitus Super Highway fully-meshed airborne broadband system to enhance and maximise data speeds “far beyond today’s existing networks”.
Jason T de Mos, AWN’s vice president of Business Development and Aviation Compliance, said: “We believe that once developed, our hybrid system, combined with traditional radio-links with laser, could deliver an extreme-capacity airborne backbone that would offer unprecedented bandwidth at a reasonable cost. 
“Our vision is a marriage of radio frequency control for accurately locating aircraft in the mesh, and the ability to switch back and forth between laser and radio frequency for data-communications, allowing our contemplated system to successfully operate under adverse weather conditions, thereby offering the best of both worlds.”
AWN said laser is 100 per cent secure from jamming and interception. It remains stealth due to its narrow beam divergence. 
It said the proposed hybrid laser communication system would utilise eye-safe laser light to transmit data for ultra-long-distance communications, making it inaccessible to any current competing technologies.