Airbus Defence and Space provides radio network for cycling ‘warm-up’ event in Rio

• Airborne audio communications tested in preparation for summer 2016

Airbus Defence and Space has successfully supplied the radio networks for audio communications for the official cycling test event prior to next year’s eagerly awaited sports event in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This year’s ‘warm-up’ test event of the road cycling discipline is one of 45 sporting contests taking place in the same venues as the 2016 sports event, with the aim of testing all technical operations to ensure readiness for the main events.

During the warm-up racing, an aircraft was deployed to provide radio coverage over the 200 km circuit. Live communications were transmitted from the different race sectors via three separate radio networks, providing sports directors, officials and followers with updated race information.

Airbus Defence and Space Events field engineers dispatched to Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro were responsible for establishing the airborne radio coverage, after coordinating the installation of all radio receivers on the event organisation vehicles and chase bikes.

The Airbus Defence and Space Events team has extensive experience in providing radio communications to the world’s most famous cycling races. In addition to prestigious cycling races in France, previous successful deliveries include airborne radio coverage for the cycling races in London during summer 2012, which subsequently led to being chosen to support several high profile cycling events in the City.

“The test event in Rio showed our capability to provide reliable and secure communications for the cycling discipline in Rio,” said Florian Lefèvre, Head of Events at Airbus Defence and Space. “Based on these results and our experience in delivering radio communication networks to cycling’s most high profile races and other outdoors sporting events, we feel well-positioned to deliver reliable communications when all eyes are on Rio next summer.”