AURA Network Systems reports that today it has been awarded a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) contract to demonstrate and validate technologies in support of the safe integration of Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) into the National Airspace System (NAS).
The project includes qualitative and quantitative measurements of voice quality, intelligibility, and end-to-end latency, exploiting AURA’s ability to meet the voice latency requirements of standards agency RTCA. Command-and-Control Communications Service Providers (C2CSPs) like AURA must meet extremely low-latency metrics to ensure air traffic controllers can communicate clearly with remote pilots on the ground, minimizing the risk of communication delays or overlaps.
According to Kevin Steen, Chief Executive Officer of AURA. “Our innovative communications solutions, built on our licensed spectrum, are designed to ensure the highest levels of safety, security, and reliability for both crewed and uncrewed aircraft. This project will allow us to further demonstrate our capabilities, particularly in providing a voice relay that enables a remote pilot of an uncrewed aircraft to communicate with Air Traffic Control (ATC) as if onboard the aircraft, a critical factor for safe and effective airspace integration.”
“Our network is specifically designed to provide C2 and voice services, leveraging aviation-dedicated frequencies to ultimately enable UAS to operate beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS),” noted Steen. “Our integrated solution of both the data pipe and the voice relay offers a significant advantage in meeting RTCA’s stringent voice latency requirements. This award represents a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to support the entire aviation ecosystem while enhancing airspace management.”
AURA will work closely with the Northern Plains UAS Test Site (NPUASTS) to demonstrate the company’s voice capabilities. Headquartered in Grand Forks, North Dakota, NPUASTS is one of seven FAA-designated UAS test sites in the nation. The test site supports UAS flight testing, including BVLOS flights, and offers access to facilities and assets through collaborations with GrandSKY—the nation’s first commercial UAS business and aviation park, Grand Forks Air Force Base, the University of North Dakota, and other key partners.
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