Full Stream Ahead

Satellites have long offered the promise of delivering high-speed internet connections to the entire world, reaching into areas where it is not feasible to run cables and install all of the other components associated with a traditional infrastructure. But historically, there have been issues with this approach. Satellite-based connections have been expensive, unreliable, and saddled with high levels of latency. In fact, some early solutions had such bad latency that they relied on a secondary dial-up internet connection for upstream requests to minimize the constant delays.

The landscape is rapidly changing, however, thanks in large part to Starlink. Since their network of satellites is in a low Earth orbit, latency is very significantly reduced. And with commercial space flight now being an option via companies like SpaceX, the costs associated with getting satellites into orbit are coming down. That, in turn, is helping to moderate the costs of satellite-based internet services.

With these technologies becoming more performant and practical all the time, it is leaving many people wondering what interesting ways we can put them to work. Experimental programs are already in place to directly connect cell phones to Starlink satellites, which could eliminate dead zones forever. And YouTuber Thingify sees satellite-based internet as a way to control RC vehicles from anywhere on the planet. He believes that once this trend gains traction, it will lead to a new hobby called RC exploration, in which enthusiasts send their remote-control vehicles on long journeys to explore exotic locations or study shipwrecks from the comfort of their own homes.

RC exploration certainly does sound appealing, and Thingify is working to make it a reality. Previously, he built an RC boat that is powered by a Raspberry Pi computer and a Starlink Flat High Performance Kit. These dishes are made specifically for use while in motion, so they are ideal for use in a moving vehicle. However, they are pretty expensive — both in terms of hardware and ongoing service costs. When you need a connection on the go, it unfortunately costs a lot more than a dish sitting still in your backyard at home.

So while Thingify’s boat worked well enough, the technology was not really practical for most use cases. But with the recent introduction of Starlink Mini, a smaller and much less expensive option for in-motion internet connections, the math all changed. Thingify wanted to see how that would all work out, so he rebuilt his RC boat to use the Mini, and ran a battery of not-so-scientific tests to evaluate this new option.

First and foremost, as the name implies, the Mini is smaller and lighter. As such, it takes up less room on an RC vehicle and reduces the load on the motors as it gets hauled around. The dish itself is also far more energy-efficient, drawing only about 18 percent as much power as a Flat at peak consumption levels. The transfer rates did generally seem to be faster with the Flat dish, but both were quite snappy and more than sufficient for the transmission of real-time streaming video, so that was not a concern for this application.

Testing of the upgraded boat revealed that the Mini could handle streaming video and control signals without issue as the boat zipped around a large body of water. The only thing stopping Thingify’s boat from making long-distance journeys at this point is battery power. But it is hoped that this issue can be resolved in the future with solar panels. Then there will be no limits to RC exploration.