HYPER-Fi
The Challenge
Name:
Reliable high-bandwidth communication for off-board control of drones
Domain:
Telecommunications, Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), control systems, network protocol
Challenge proposer:
Objectives:
The primary objectives of this challenge are:
- To develop and demonstrate a wireless communication system that can provide high-bandwidth and low-latency links for the offboard control of drones;
- To ensure the reliability and robustness of the communication system under various environmental conditions and operational scenarios, including barriers and high interference environments (e.g. through multiple levels of at least 2cm thick steel and during demonstrations with a large number of connected devices around);
- To optimize the integration of this communication system with existing drone control and navigation systems to enhance their performance;
Challenge Addressed:
The project addressed the difficulty of maintaining reliable, high-bandwidth and low-latency UAV communication inside ship ballast tanks and other GNSS-denied metallic spaces. These environments strongly degrade conventional wireless links because steel walls, internal compartments, reflections, multipath effects and signal shadowing can interrupt control, telemetry and video transmission. The challenge was to provide a robust off-board communication link suitable for real inspection scenarios, while keeping the system practical for integration with drone platforms. HYPER-Fi also addressed the need for stable operation in industrial environments where interference, mobility and obstructed line-of-sight conditions can significantly reduce wireless performance.
The Solution
Name:
HYPER-Fi – High Performance Wi-Fi in Harsh Mobile Dynamic Environments
Description:
Stratowave Connect developed HYPER-Fi, a resilient wireless communication solution for UAV operations in ship ballast tanks and other harsh metallic environments. The system is based on the IEEE 802.11be standard, commonly used as the technical foundation for Wi-Fi 7-class solutions, combined with a high-bandwidth 4×4 MIMO access point architecture and custom circularly polarized antennas. This approach is designed to maintain stable, low-latency links despite steel structures, reflections, multipath propagation and signal obstructions. Within AUTOASSESS, HYPER-Fi supports safer remote drone inspection workflows by enabling robust control, telemetry and data transmission in confined maritime infrastructure.
Key Results Delivered:
A validated HYPER-Fi communication prototype was delivered for UAV inspection in confined metallic environments. It integrates an IEEE 802.11be WLAN access point architecture, the same high-throughput standard used as the technical basis for Wi-Fi 7-class implementations, with custom circularly polarized antennas optimized for strong reflections and obstructed propagation. During the AUTOASSESS assessment phase, the system was demonstrated in a real ship ballast tank, achieving uniform coverage, 1,9 Gbps average TCP throughput and 3,5 ms average round-trip latency. The results exceeded the required 1 Gbps bandwidth and 33 ms latency targets.
Unique Value and Impact:
The unique value lies in proving that gigabit-class, low-latency WLAN communication can be engineered for enclosed steel environments where conventional radio links are unreliable. In such spaces, irregular reflections typically create severe multipath, self-interference and unstable throughput. HYPER-Fi turns this constraint into an advantage by combining an IEEE 802.11be-based 4×4 MIMO architecture with custom circularly polarized antennas, using reflections to improve propagation efficiency and data-transport reliability. Because the link carries standard TCP/IP traffic, inspection data can be monitored remotely from an office, independently of the drone operator’s location, enabling safer inspections and a scalable communication layer for autonomous maritime systems.
Solution in Action:
The demonstration took place around a real vessel, with the ballast tank selected as the core scenario because it represents one of the most demanding environments for wireless communication. The operating concept was straightforward: keep the Ground Control Station outside the most difficult confined area, place the HYPER-Fi access point and antenna system in the inspection setup, and establish a reliable communication layer through the surrounding steel structure. In practice, this created the conditions for UAV control, telemetry and inspection-data transport inside a space where conventional radio links would normally struggle with reflections, signal shadowing and obstructed line-of-sight.
trajectory planning, a mission state machine, and a ROS-GenoM bridge to the existing flight controller. The web-based operator interface enables mission monitoring, live LiDAR/camera visualization, and inspection-point selection directly on the point cloud.
On real hardware we demonstrated SLAM-localized hover, go-to, trajectory execution, and contact-based inspection commanded from the GUI. Everything deploys via one simple command.
Additional tests were performed in the dry dock environment outside the vessel. The achieved performance remained above the required communication targets, showing that the same technology can support real-time inspection of external ship surfaces during dry dock operations, and potentially during emergency inspections while a vessel is in service.
Beyond ship inspection, the solution is relevant for offshore assets such as oil and gas platforms, wind-energy structures and other maritime infrastructure. Its architecture can also support coordinated UAV operations, including short- and medium-range drone swarms where reliable, low-latency and high-capacity communication is essential.
The Solution Provider
Stratowave Connect (Zagreb, Croatia) is a fast-evolving startup developing next-generation hybrid-powered multirotor systems that merge advanced communication and hybrid propulsion technologies. With deep expertise in high-bandwidth Wi-Fi connectivity and hybrid power propulsion systems for multirotor aircraft, the company designs multirotor UAV platforms capable of over 10 hours of continuous flight and long-range gigabit wireless data links, redefining performance, reliability, and endurance in modern aerial operations.
Key Team Members:
Anton Novak
The AUTOASSESS Experience
Testimonial
“Participation in the AUTOASSESS programme provided a valuable opportunity to validate HYPER-Fi beyond laboratory conditions and within a real maritime inspection scenario. The programme offered a clear industrial challenge, demanding technical targets and access to an environment where the solution could be assessed under realistic operational constraints. This was especially important for proving resilient wireless communication inside ship ballast tanks, where conventional links are difficult to maintain. The collaboration with the AUTOASSESS consortium helped align the technology with practical inspection needs and strengthened confidence that HYPER-Fi can contribute to safer, more efficient and remotely supervised maritime inspection workflows.”
Vilko Klein, Leader, Managing Director