Liquid Crystal Flat Panel Antenna
ALCAN Systems
ALCAN Systems' electrically steerable flat-panel satellite antenna using liquid crystal technology — enabling thin, low-profile SATCOM terminals for aircraft, ships, and vehicles.
Technical specifications
- Antenna Type
- Electronically steerable flat-panel (liquid crystal phase shifters)
- Frequency
- Ka-band (Ku-band options available)
- Beam Steering
- Electronic (no moving parts)
- Profile
- Flat, thin — aerodynamically favorable
- Applications
- Aircraft in-flight WiFi, maritime SATCOM, military vehicle comms
- Founded
- 2015, Darmstadt, Germany (TU Darmstadt spin-off)
- Investors
- In-Q-Tel (CIA), ESA BIC
About
ALCAN Systems develops electronically steerable antennas (ESA) using liquid crystal (LC) technology for satellite communications. Traditional mechanical gimbal antennas for SATCOM-on-the-move (SOTM) are bulky, heavy, and mechanically complex. ALCAN’s LC-based phase shifters enable a flat-panel antenna to steer its beam electronically without moving parts — resulting in a thin, lightweight, aerodynamically favorable antenna suitable for aircraft fuselage-flush installation, vehicle rooftops, and ship superstructures.
ALCAN’s liquid crystal antenna operates in Ka-band (26.5–30 GHz uplink, 17.7–20.2 GHz downlink), targeting commercial satellite broadband services (Intelsat, SES, Eutelsat) and LEO broadband (Starlink, OneWeb terminals). The flat profile reduces aerodynamic drag on aircraft compared to radome-covered dish antennas, directly reducing fuel burn cost for airlines. For ground vehicles, the low profile minimizes the vehicle’s radar cross-section (military applications).
ALCAN Systems was founded in 2015 in Darmstadt, Germany, as a TU Darmstadt spin-off, and has received investment from In-Q-Tel (the CIA’s technology investment arm) and ESA’s Business Incubation Centre. The company is targeting commercial aviation, maritime, and government mobility markets.
Documentation
No public datasheet yet — request the datasheet / ICD from the supplier.