A reliable Command and Control (C2) link between the drone and the pilot is a prerequisite to safe B-VLOS operations and is a key research area for integration in non-segregated airspace.
FreeD project will focus on B-VLOS operations within Radio Line of Sight (R-LOS) defined by the Earth curvature to a maximum of app. 50 km.
WP 4 will focus on the following tasks:
- Defining methodology, guidelines and testing specifications for design, implementation and validation of a reliable C2 link for B-VLOS operations following the recommendations of the International Telecommunications Union Radio communications Sector (2009)
- Develop a C2 link model to predict the performance during all phases of the flight
- Validate the link model performance using simulations in a controlled laboratory environment as well as field tests
- Based on the defined methodology and guidelines develop, implement and test a reliable C2 link for the project test cases using commercial off-the shelf (COTS) hardware to the extent possible
- Develop proper link loss procedures for the project test cases, Explore the requirements for a future Air Traffic Control (ATC) communications (C3) link for operation within controlled airspaces
- In collaboration with Danish Business Authorities explore the possibilities of allocating and protecting frequencies and spectrum for B-VLOS operations in Denmark and potentially in EU (Kerczewski (2013).