China’s first high-speed satellite internet-enabled airplane completes maiden flight, conducts live broadcast

On July 7, Qingdao Airlines QW9771, China’s first airplane featuring high-speed satellite internet service, completed its maiden flight from Qingdao, east China’s Shandong province, to Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan province.

The satellite was provided by China Satellite Communications Co., Ltd, a subsidiary of China Aerospace Science and Technology Group. Compared with the traditional Ku-band in-flight internet service, the high-speed internet system, supported by China's first and only Ka-band high-throughput satellite – Zhongxing 16 - enables the airplane to enjoy faster network speed.

Passengers on the plane were able to get access to network service with a speed of over 100 megabytes, enjoying the same surfing experience as they do on the ground.

During the flight, a live broadcast was conducted, the first of its kind in China's civil aviation history. The passengers onboard shared aerial images in real time with people on the ground via a video link.