Long-Endurance Fiber-Optic Tethered Surveillance System

Historical project: This deployment illustrates a fiber-optic tethered surveillance configuration. Customer and location details are confidential. Contact us to discuss the equipment and integration requirements for your project.

Reference field deployment with generator, tethered ground station and surveillance UAV.

The Mission Requirement

The customer needed a surveillance aircraft that could remain above a defined area for extended periods while carrying both visible-light and thermal imaging. Battery-only endurance was a poor fit because repeated landings interrupted observation. The project also required a control/video path that would not rely on the normal wireless link for the primary mission data.

Reference surveillance UAV equipped with an EO/thermal payload.

Why Combine Power and Optical Fiber in the Tether?

Persistent surveillance has two separate continuity requirements: the aircraft needs energy and the command center needs a stable data path. The reference system combined high-voltage conductors and optical fiber in the tether so the main control/video path could be carried by cable while the aircraft received continuous ground power.

This reduces dependence on RF for the primary tethered control/video link. Other aircraft functions, such as GNSS or backup links, may still use radio-frequency systems and remain susceptible to interference.

Reference architecture sketch showing ground power, optical-fiber controller, PC/HDMI display and airborne conversion.

Reference Delivered Configuration

G30 Tethered Ground Power Station

Ground-system display during reference operation, showing high-voltage tether output.

WF8 Regulated Airborne Power Module

UAV, Payload and Fiber Control

Field monitoring laptop, generator, ground station and optical-fiber cable during reference testing.

Operational Outcome Recorded in the Reference Project

• Stable long-duration hovering without repeated battery replacement

• Simultaneous visible and thermal imagery for day/night observation

• Reliable HDMI video output for external command-center viewing

• Primary control/video transmission through optical fiber rather than the normal RF link

• Reduced operational interruption from battery changes and wireless-link management

Where This Architecture Is Useful

• Persistent perimeter and site-security monitoring

• Critical-infrastructure observation

• Temporary event or incident command posts

• Border, industrial or remote-area monitoring where a fixed elevated viewpoint is required

• Locations where primary control/video should be carried by fiber because the RF environment is congested, sensitive or operationally undesirable

What Must Be Recalculated for a New Project

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the system use fiber for both control and video?

The reference project used optical fiber for the primary remote-control/data path and real-time HD video, with HDMI output to an external display.

Does fiber-optic control mean there is zero RF interference anywhere on the aircraft?

No. It means the primary control/video path can avoid dependence on the normal RF data link. Other aircraft functions may still use GNSS, backup radios or other RF systems.

How long is the reference tether?

150 m, with optical fiber integrated into the tether.

What payload did the project require?

The delivered UAV configuration used a 10 kg recommended payload class and carried EO + thermal imaging.

Can the ground station run from a generator?

The reference deployment was designed for field use and generator compatibility, provided the generator meets the ground unit input and power-quality requirements.

What information is required for a new surveillance proposal?

Target height, aircraft/payload mass, camera model and electrical load, required control/video interfaces, fiber protocol, HDMI/output needs, environmental conditions and available AC/generator source.

Talk to us about your configuration

For a persistent-surveillance project, send the target hover height, UAV/payload weight, EO/IR camera interfaces, control/video protocol, required fiber path and available ground source. We can size the power and data architecture together.