Read the story of Darwin Innovation Group, one of the startups that will pitch during the ESA Commercialisation Days: Transportation event that will take place on 27 November, 2023, with key actors of both the transportation and space sectors coming together to develop new synergies.
The company and the challenge
Darwin Innovation Group was founded in 2019 with the vision of widespread and reliable connectivity by using terrestrial and satellite communications to complement each other. The support of ESA, in the form of both funding and expert knowledge, has been a crucial element for the success of the company. The company has now offices in the UK and Spain, located in Oxfordshire, Glasgow and Málaga and plans to expand to Canada and Saudi Arabia in the near future.
Satellite networks, with their broad coverage, can compensate in locations where it’s difficult or impossible to install masts, such as mountains, marshland or ocean. Traditionally, maintaining a connection is particularly difficult in a vehicle: passengers in a moving car may experience frequent interruptions when trying to use a connected device, as the car moves in and out of network range.
Their solution
Darwin’s Hybrid User Terminal (HUT) solves this problem by switching between networks seamlessly. When one network drops out of range, another is already connected and instantly ready to replace it. Although a vehicle may switch between networks, Darwin’s patented communications technology enables it to experience a continuous connection. This constant connection is particularly important for connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs). Darwin operates the longest-running autonomous public transport service in the UK, the Darwin Autonomous Shuttle in Oxfordshire, and aids other organisations in setting up and running their own autonomous transportation services.
By gathering and analysing data from these autonomous vehicles, Darwin helps its clients to improve their services. This information is also useful to Darwin’s partners in the insurance sector, such as Aviva, in the development of insurance products for CAVs. With the reliable connection that Darwin provides, CAVs can fill gaps in rural public transport networks, reducing dependence on high-emission single-occupant vehicles.
Darwin demonstrates an innovation ecosystem in action, connecting institutions across industry, government and academia to achieve more than any single organisation could do on its own. These institutions include Telefónica, Hispasat, Aviva, Cognizant, ESA, UKSA, the University of Oxford, the University of Glasgow, the University of Málaga, and Harwell Science and Innovation Campus.
Register to the ESA Commercialisation Days: Transportation event