In a major move towards enhancing the business use of Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) within the National Airspace System (NAS), uAvionix, known for its avionics solutions for each uncrewed and crewed aircraft, has been awarded a contract by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) under the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) program. This contract focuses on the event of a reliable Command and Control (C2) communication system for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations, facilitating prolonged flights across difficult terrains.
Partnering with the University of Alaska Fairbanks UAS Test Site, uAvionix goals to revolutionize C2 communications by utilizing its Link Executive Manager (LEM). This innovation will integrate LTE, Iridium SATCOM, and C-Band communications links to make sure continuous and reliable control over long-range BVLOS flights, particularly along an Alaskan pipeline.
Cyriel Kronenburg of uAvionix highlighted the importance of getting multiple, seamless connections to the aircraft to make sure safety and adaptability in distant and mountainous terrain. “Reliance on a single link or common infrastructure isn’t all the time feasible in distant and mountainous terrain. Having multiple, seamless connections to the aircraft from airborne and ground-based communications provides the protection and adaptability needed to reliably perform these complex operations,” Kronenburg stated. This approach is anticipated to offer useful data to support FAA rule-making and reveal the secure and economical use of UAS technology across various terrains and infrastructures.
Traditionally, BVLOS operations within the NAS required FAA waivers or exemptions, heavily counting on a single energetic C2 link with a single alternate standby link. Nonetheless, the difficult terrain conditions in Alaska often impact the supply of those links, which might hinder the approval process for BVLOS operations or result in mission failures. The collaboration between uAvionix and the FAA goals to reduce these risks by integrating cellular networks, Iridium SATCOM, and aviation-protected C-Band right into a comprehensive C2 communication system. This method will feature multiple concurrent links, utilizing each frequency and path diversity to tackle opposed topographical challenges.
The system shall be managed by the LEM through the SkyLine cloud-based platform, ensuring seamless and automatic switching between radios to take care of consistent communication, no matter ground conditions. The upcoming test flights on the Alaska UAS test site will specifically goal achieving path and link diversity in an environment where cellular coverage is proscribed, and natural obstacles pose significant challenges.
Christian Ramsey, Managing Director for Uncrewed Aviation at uAvionix, emphasized the corporate’s successful history of collaboration with the FAA, stating, “We’ve got a consistent track record of collaboration and success with the FAA. This contract builds upon that success and demonstrates our commitment to advancing BVLOS operations for the industry.” This initiative is poised to advance the business viability of UAS operations, specializing in safety and efficiency for operators and marking a pivotal step forward for BVLOS operations within the UAS industry.
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