One local engineer says he has the solution for dodgy internet coverage in the bush.

Electrical engineering researcher Dr Yifan Wang is working to better link isolated communities improving millimetre-wave satellite technology.

Dr Wang has worked for years on a low-cost reconfigurable antenna system that can connect with low-earth-orbit satellites to allow a high-speed data rate.

“Currently, most internet technology is based on terrestrial structures like exchanges and based stations,” Dr Wang says.

“By utilising smart antenna technology we don’t have to rely on existing infrastructure or run cables thousands of kilometres into the bush.

“This means people in even the most remote places, or who are constantly on the move, can still be connected with the rest of the world cheaply and quickly.”

Dr Wang’s antenna technology can use a flat and compact satellite terminal with automatic tracking.

Orbiting as low as 160 kilometres, the satellite would send powerful targeted signals to users, known as ‘beamforming’.

Dr Wang says his vision for better internet in remote parts of the world is becoming much more achievable, thanks to the ever-decreasing cost of building and launching satellites.

“This is a unique opportunity to improve the livelihoods of people in remote and regional communities,” he said.

“It is also a chance for Australia to show its capability in developing world-leading technology.”