The Kazan Helicopter Plant of the Russian Helicopters holding has received approval from the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency for the installation of the Mku30 satellite communication system on Ansat helicopters. This option will provide passengers with high-speed Internet access during the flight.
The Ku-band satellite communication system of the "MOST - Satellite Systems" company provides Internet access at a speed of up to 2 Mbit/s in the coverage area of YAMAL communication satellites. It allows organizing video conferences on board the helicopter, uninterrupted transmission of large amounts of data and high-quality video images in real time. Data transmission to passengers' mobile devices is provided using Wi-Fi.
For the first time, an Ansat helicopter equipped with the new Mku30 satellite communication system was presented at the 53rd International Paris Air Show 2019.
“The satellite communication system will be installed in Ansat helicopters at the request of the customer. This option will be most relevant for passenger and VIP modifications of the aircraft. The ability to use the Internet during flights is another step towards providing world class comfort on Ansat helicopters”, noted Aleksey Belykh, Managing Director of Kazan Helicopter Plant.
On December 29, 2020, an upgraded Ansat-M helicopter took off with an increased flight range of up to 800 km with an additional fuel tank. The updated version of the aircraft has improved track stability, introduced latest avionics, and a modernized heating and ventilation system. In 2021, the aircraft will be equipped with a three-channel autopilot.