SKYTRAC Becomes the Newest Aviation Terminal Manufacturer Using the Iridium CertusTM 9810 Transceiver

• SKYTRAC begins development of new Iridium Certus^® service-based SDL-350^TM satellite communications system

MCLEAN, VA., September 23, 2020 – Iridium Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: IRDM) today announced SKYTRAC as the newest aviation Value Added Manufacturer (VAM) for the Iridium Certus 9810 transceiver. Already an Iridium Certus service provider, SKYTRAC will now be able to both manufacture equipment and provide service to customers across the aviation industry.

Designed for optimal size, weight and power (SWaP), SKYTRAC’s new SDL-350 terminal will be a 2-MCU satellite communications system, planned for market introduction in 2021. The new terminal will offer broadband speeds of up to 352 kbps both to and from the aircraft. Built for the only L-band broadband platform providing truly global connectivity, the SDL-350 also takes advantage of the Iridium Certus platform’s flexibility to scale device speeds, sizes, and power requirements based on the needs of the end-user.

SKYTRAC is also producing the ISAT-200A-08 terminal utilizing Iridium Certus 9770 with 22/88 kbps midband speeds that will bring a 10x bandwidth improvement as compared to Iridium’s narrowband services, to operators looking to streamline their efficiencies with VoIP communications, FDR streaming capability, real-time alerts, advanced situational awareness and more.

“Iridium Certus ushers in a new era of globally available connectivity for operators looking for higher bandwidth satellite communication solutions,” mentioned Jan van der Heul, SKYTRAC’s Vice President of Sales. “We’re excited to introduce the two new terminals to the market and look forward to working with operators around the world to enhance their operations through the capabilities we provide.”

The SDL-350 terminal will combine SKYTRAC’s historical strengths in flight data acquisition and satellite communications with processing power and Iridium Certus bandwidth. This makes it an ideal solution for applications like flight data monitoring, onboard electronic flight bag (EFB) capabilities, real-time health and usage monitoring (HUMS), medical data transfer, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communications, Global Aeronautical Distress and Safety System (GADSS) compliance functions, situational awareness, connected aircraft solutions, large file transfers, and more, depending on the terminal’s bandwidth level.

“As a new VAM for the Iridium Certus 9810 and a valued long-time Iridium partner, SKYTRAC continues to produce full-service data-driven solutions to the aviation industry,” says Bryan Hartin, Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Iridium. “We’re excited to see SKYTRAC expand their product offerings by designing, developing and manufacturing new products utilizing the Iridium Certus 9810 and Iridium Certus 9770 transceivers.”

The wide-array of capabilities both the new terminals will offer provides solutions for operators in all segments of aviation for both rotary and fixed-wing markets. The new terminals will provide truly global capabilities for operators in aerial firefighting, business aviation, Emergency Medical Services/Search and Rescue, air transport, oil and gas, law enforcement, and more.