SpaceX has announced that Starlink Mini satellite dishes can work on small aircraft, offering passengers access to high-speed Internet via Wi-Fi. Interestingly, the US Civil Aviation Administration (FAA) did not issue appropriate permission for the operation of this equipment on aircraft.
Image source: starlink.com
«On smaller general aviation aircraft or aircraft for which we do not have STC (certificates), Starlink Mini can be used as a portable electronic device (PED), but only inside the aircraft,” the company says on its website. “Please note that the use of Starlink Mini has not been certified or otherwise approved by the FAA or any other civil aviation authority,” the reference page reads.
US federal regulations allow operators to use portable electronic devices on board aircraft as long as they “do not interfere with the navigation or communications systems of the aircraft on which they are used.” “Ultimately, the aircraft operator is responsible for determining the optimal antenna position and installation that is safe and does not interfere with aircraft operations,” SpaceX warns.
Starlink Mini dishes already work on several small aircraft, providing on-board connections at speeds of more than 100 Mbps – usually requiring it to be placed near a window to ensure stable reception of satellite data. For aircraft whose speed does not exceed 100 knots (185 km/h), Roam tariffs with 50 GB of traffic, unlimited Roam and Mobile Priority are suitable. Higher speeds will require a subscription to the Aviation Business plan with a monthly fee starting at $2,000 per month.
The SpaceX website also states that the company is trying to obtain permission to sell special equipment for all major aircraft models. In 2022, the Starlink Aviation division began operating, which installs satellite dishes on private aircraft and commercial airliners.