Starlink Mini: Installation & Setup
For Starlink plan selection see Which Starlink Plan Do I Need?
Where to place the antenna
The Starlink Mini needs a clear view of the sky, ideally toward the north in the northern hemisphere.
Placement options:
- Rear window (Cirrus SR20/22, Cessna 172, etc.) - the best placement for most aircraft.
People use suction cups, Velcro strips, or custom mounts. The DIY element is unavoidable here.
- Glare shield - works if your front windows are not electrically heated. In practice
the connection quality is acceptable, but store the device for takeoff, approach, and landing, and
make sure forward visibility is not compromised.
- Side windows - only reliable if the window faces roughly north. Works on some
headings but not a dependable solution in general.
How to power the Starlink Mini
The Starlink Mini ships with a 110V/230V wall adapter only. The device itself accepts 12–48V DC
directly, which makes aircraft installation straightforward. Specifications say up to 60W; in
practice it draws 30–40W at startup and settles to around 20–30W during normal operation.
- A cigarette lighter socket at full aircraft voltage (14V or 28V) is the simplest solution.
Check the amp rating of the socket - at 14V you need at least 3A continuous.
- If your aircraft has a 12V converter (common in some Cirrus models), verify it can supply
sufficient amperage before connecting.
- Connect directly to the aircraft supply if possible. Do not add a USB-C adapter in between -
these introduce additional losses and increase the load.
- Standard USB-A sockets cannot supply enough power. Do not use them.
- Power banks can work but tend to be heavy and are not ideal for regular use in flight.
WXStar connects between the aircraft power supply and the Starlink Mini, so with WXStar installed
you only need one power connection for both devices.
Where to buy
Local retailers let you select the correct Starlink plan immediately. Typical price 300-350 EUR.
The producer of the WXStar DIY Kit is WXStar UG (haftungsbeschränkt), Berlin, Germany. Golze Engineering is a dealer for this product.