The future of flat panel antennas is looking bright, according to a new study released by Valour Consultancy. The market intelligence and consultancy services firm projects shipments of these antennas to reach a staggering 100,000 units by 2030. These findings were revealed in Valour’s comprehensive report titled “The Future of Flat Panel Antennas – 2023”.
Rapid Evolution and Adoption
Flat panel antennas have gone from years of design and development to full-blown production and adoption. This technology supports comms-on-the-move applications across various sectors, such as aviation, maritime, and land mobility. With the growth in non-geostationary satellite orbit (NGSO) capacity, demand for flat panel antennas is increasing at an exciting rate.
This coincides with the activation of services from satellites positioned in both low earth orbit (LEO) and medium earth orbit (MEO). These technological advancements offer the crucial ingredient for the proliferation of flat panel antennas.
Major Players Driving Demand for Flat Panel Antennas
By the end of this year, major satellite operators such as Starlink and OneWeb will activate global LEO services. In addition, SES is set to launch its second-generation MEO service, O3b mPOWER. According to Daniel Welch, the report’s author, these advancements mark an exciting period in satellite connectivity.
“There’s a fundamental link between next-generation flat panel antennas and LEO and MEO constellations, with the former required to track satellites over the horizon effectively and to truly realize the benefits of multi-orbit connectivity,” Welch says. “The capacity ingredient had been missing, but we’re now in a very exciting period because by the end of this year, both Starlink and OneWeb will have activated global LEO services, and the other influential player in this story, SES, will have launched its second generation MEO service, O3b mPOWER.”
Collaboration in the satellite communication (SATCOM) industry is vital to its growth. Vendors who began as startups have forged alliances with influential capacity owners like OneWeb and SES. This trend should continue and grow, bringing more robust hardware solutions.
“The opportunities for flat panel antenna vendors to forge partnerships with highly influential capacity owners is forecast to expand from here. I see OneWeb and SES adding further solutions, and Telesat looks like outsourcing the hardware stack to third parties too. The door is also still open for Amazon Kuiper to do the same in the mobility space,” Welch concludes.
Key Verticals to Watch
The report projects a large share of demand for flat panel antennas from the maritime sector. However, the most lucrative sectors should be military and commercial aviation, as these end-users are willing to pay for robust and reliable connectivity as part of multi-orbit networks.
Groundbreaking Market Research
Valour Consultancy’s latest report is a game-changer in the industry. It covers a wide range of platforms, including aviation, maritime, and land mobility, the latter being an area Valour intends to expand into over the coming years. The study, developed with input from more than 40 companies across the value chain, provides in-depth commentary on market issues, technology trends, and the competitive environment.
The future of flat panel antennas is indeed promising. As technology advances and more satellites launch into LEO and MEO orbits, demand for these advanced antennas should grow. With the combined efforts of startups and industry giants, the SATCOM industry is set to reach new heights.
For further insights, including a full table of contents and report scope, visit Valour Consultancy’s website.