Censys Technology to Test Satellite Links for Drones
The FAA grant supports research into extending drone range beyond the reach of standard cellular data networks.
Updated on Oct. 22, 2026 in Telecommunications
Live Poll
Do you believe the use of autonomous drones for monitoring local infrastructure improves your community?
The FAA has awarded a $500,000 research grant to Daytona Beach-based Censys Technology as part of a $12 million initiative for drone development. The company will use the funding to test satellite communications, aiming to maintain drone connectivity in regions lacking reliable cellular service.
Why it matters
Extending drone range beyond cellular infrastructure is critical for long-distance industrial inspections and autonomous monitoring. This research addresses the connectivity gaps that currently limit the utility of unmanned aircraft in remote or disaster-prone areas.
Censys Technology currently operates drones at an approved altitude of 450 feet with a maximum flight range of 100 miles from their launch point. The system utilizes automated launch docks and AI software for data collection, currently enabling a 200-mile confidence range for storm eye tracking.
The players
Censys Technology
A Daytona Beach-based firm specializing in autonomous drone systems for industrial data collection and long-range flight operations.
Federal Aviation Administration
The national authority responsible for regulating civil aviation, including the oversight of unmanned aircraft flight paths and research funding.
The details
Censys Technology manages flights using pre-installed drone docks that deploy aircraft automatically for assigned missions. The drones rely on AI-driven software to dictate data collection patterns autonomously once in flight. By integrating satellite communications, the company intends to replace standard cellular data links, which currently suffer from instability in remote operational zones.
Timeline
October 21, 2026: The FAA announced the distribution of drone research grants.
The Tech Race
This project positions Censys Technology among the developers pushing to extend autonomous flight reach beyond traditional cellular coverage limits. The effort runs parallel to other FAA-backed industry studies investigating air taxi connectivity, safety protocols, and software reliability.
This research primarily benefits industrial sectors, such as utilities, that require reliable data collection across remote regions where cell signals are sparse. Local residents and organizations should expect to see increasingly persistent autonomous aerial monitoring capabilities as these satellite links move toward field deployment.
The takeaway
Reliable long-range connectivity is the next hurdle for autonomous drone utility, moving the technology closer to widespread, non-cellular operation. Watch for future FAA progress reports on test flight results to see if satellite latency proves sufficient for real-time mission control.
Further reading
For broader trends in infrastructure, see our analysis on Telecommunications.
Source note: This article includes information reported by News 13.
Live Poll
Do you believe the use of autonomous drones for monitoring local infrastructure improves your community?
