Airborne Internet : market & opportunity

The purpose of this thesis to evaluate the opportunity for service provider entry and of the airborne internet, to analyze the disruptive impact technology used by AirCell and AeroSat has had on the development of an airborne internet, and to identify various stake holders and their value propitiation. The airborne internet has the potential to change the way we fly and spend time when sitting in the plane. In the last fifty years, there has not been much technological advancement in the air traffic control system. Airplane operation still depends on current ground control and radar systems that are very expensive and very difficult to scale. These technologies are also heavily dependant on humans. There have been many technological advancements out side of the aviation industry. Establishing an airborne internet is a tremendous opportunity for everyone. With the help of an airborne Internet, each plane can transmit its identity, location, and also direct video footage that will help Homeland security fight against terrorism. The airborne internet has the ability to connect airplanes not just via a computer on the ground (or via satellite) but directly with each other, relaying information from other planes in an Internet-like fashion. The airborne internet is strongly supported by the Pentagon, FAA and NASA. The U.S. Air Force and FAA are working on defining the architecture of an airborne network and hope to begin actively developing and testing the network itself between 2008 and 2012. According to the FAA, in 2005 there were 10 million flights carrying a total of 660 million passengers in the United States. For the FAA there are a number of merits to working with an airborne internet service provider to continue tests and validate the technical and economic feasibility of an airborne internet.