Skykraft

Organisation overview

Skykraft: Space-based VHF communications and surveillance for air traffic management

Skykraft is an Australian space services company developing the world’s first globally integrated, space-based VHF communications and surveillance network for aviation.

Our purpose-built low Earth orbit constellation will provide air navigation service providers and airlines with resilient, continuous communications and surveillance across continental, remote and oceanic airspace.

Our services

• One integrated space-based service: Combines ADS-B surveillance with VHF voice and data communications through a single satellite network.
• Compatible with today’s aircraft: Uses existing ADS-B transponders and VHF radios, with no new avionics required.
• Purpose-built for aviation: Designed exclusively for air traffic management, without sharing capacity with unrelated services.
• Resilient by design: Built with multiple layers of redundancy and cybersecurity integrated from the outset.
• An adaptable constellation: Lower-cost satellites can be replenished continuously, allowing the network to scale with demand and support new services more rapidly than traditional long-life systems.

Supporting the future of air traffic management

• Safety: Enables continuous controller–pilot communications and surveillance where ground infrastructure is limited or impractical.
• Capacity and efficiency: Supports reduced separation and trajectory-based operations across oceanic and remote airspace.
• Sustainability: Enables more direct flight routing, helping reduce fuel consumption and emissions.
• Lower infrastructure costs: Reduces the need to build and maintain remote ground stations.

Where we are

Skykraft is working with air navigation service providers across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond, alongside industry partners, to prepare for service entry.

Our roadmap is aligned with ICAO standards for space-based VHF communications, expected to take effect from late 2028, with initial services to follow