The newly announced Amazon Leo Aviation Antenna is designed to provide fast, reliable connectivity from gate to gate, with speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second download and 400 megabits per second upload.
The system is built to support a full aircraft of users simultaneously, enabling everything from streaming and gaming to business collaboration in real time.
Trevor Vieweg, director of global business for Amazon Leo, said the technology aims to transform in-flight connectivity.
“Passengers will be able to do virtually anything online, whether that’s streaming movies, gaming, listening to music or working seamlessly in the air,” he said.
“We expect the service to be fast and reliable enough that travellers will actively choose flights offering Leo connectivity.”
The antenna uses advanced phased-array technology, allowing it to maintain constant communication with satellites without any moving parts – improving reliability while reducing maintenance requirements.
It has been specifically engineered for the aviation environment, capable of handling extreme temperatures and weather conditions as aircraft operate across global routes.
Installed on the aircraft’s exterior, the low-profile unit is designed to minimise drag and limit any impact on fuel consumption. Its compact form factor and integrated modem also allow airlines to complete installation within a single day.
As aircraft travel at high speeds, the antenna connects to passing Leo satellites in low-Earth orbit, seamlessly handing off between satellites to maintain a continuous connection. Data is then routed through a global network of ground stations and fibre infrastructure, linking into cloud platforms such as Amazon Web Services and the broader internet.
To support the network, Amazon Leo is building more than 300 ground gateway stations worldwide, improving performance and resilience – particularly across traditionally challenging routes such as oceans, polar regions and remote areas.
In those regions, satellites will also use inter-satellite laser links to pass data between each other, ensuring consistent coverage even far from ground infrastructure.
The antenna is suitable for a wide range of aircraft, from large long-haul jets to smaller regional planes and is designed to deliver a premium connectivity experience across all cabin classes.
Amazon has already secured early agreements with major US airlines including Delta Air Lines and JetBlue Airways, signalling strong industry interest in the technology.
The company said further details on its aviation connectivity offering will be released in the coming months as it continues to expand its satellite network and onboard capabilities.
Want to see more stories from trusted news sources?Make Space Connect a preferred news source on Google.