HereLink Integration on Custom UAV

We are looking to integrate the HereLink product on a custom airframe. We have the following queries:

  1. Antenna Placement/Options: We want to know if there is any recommendation/documentation available regarding the placement of the antennas on the UAV.

  2. Ground Control Software: Can we have a custom QGC installed on the controller?

  3. Relay GCS Laptop: Can we use a Laptop as GCS. So, does the HereLink have the option of relaying mavlink data and video via WiFi/Ethernet/USB to another laptop or GCS?

  4. Antenna options in Herelink: Are there any other compatible antennas with the product available in the market of different form factors/make/polarization?

Any help will be deeply appreciated.

Hi please see some answers below

1: Air end Antennas should be 15 degrees off the vertical for. Best overall performance. They are omnidirectional PCB antennas.

2: Yes you can install customised applications but you would need to follow the requirements for QGC to allow access to the video stream as per the Repo.

3: Yes HereLink will relay both Mavlink Telemetry and Video to a compatible GS via WiFi, USB or Tether. There is some instruction on this on the wiki

4: Controller antennas have a Mini BNC connection for both but they are sunken into the remote slightly so you would need to take that into account but can be changed. Air end antennas use MMCX.

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Thankyou for your detailed response. I have the following follow up queries before I proceed with purchase of this awesome product.

  1. Since the antenna on the air side are a little bigger than I want them to be for our small UAVs, I am thinking of placing them horizontally on the drone. What effect on performance and range can I expect through this?

  2. We are working on swarm application of drones where in we have multiple UAVs and one GroundControlSystem. Is there any provision in Herelink ground module to get video and mavlink data from multiple drones at the same time?