The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has selected uAvionix to support multiple end-to-end demonstrations of a Frequency Assignment Manager (FAM) as a component of the uAvionix SkyLine Command and Control Communications Service Provider (C2CSP) management platform.
This large-scale demonstration will enable a Frequency Management Organization (FMO) operating the SkyLine Platform to dynamically assign available frequencies within the internationally recognized UAS C-Band Command and Non-Payload Control (CNPC) range of 5030-5091MHz to Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) operating with CNPC radios. For this purpose, uAvionix will leverage mature technology already being used in UAS flight missions today, including the SkyLine C2CSP platform, and the uAvionix SkyLink CNPC radios, says the company press release.
uAvionix is teamed with the Northern Plains UAS Test Site (NPUASTS). NPUASTS is familiar with the concept of centralized C2 service provision through the uAvionix participation in the North Dakota Vantis UAS network.
The demonstrations are intended to demonstrate the following capabilities:
- The ability of SkyLine C2CSP platform to manage a pool of allocated (and licensed) frequencies in a geographic area.
- The ability of SkyLine C2CSP platform to allocate available frequencies (frequencies which are both allocated and not in use) to a specific CNPC radio for a specific mission.
- The ability of the SkyLink CNPC radios to receive assigned frequencies for the designated mission.
- The ability of the SkyLink CNPC radios to operate on the assigned frequencies for the designated mission.
- The ability of the SkyLine C2CSP platform to monitor and perform C2CSP functionality to the SkyLink CNPC radios during the designated mission.
- The ability to demonstrate non-interference when multiple aircraft using uniquely assigned frequencies are operating within proximity.
The goal of this contract is to demonstrate and verify real-world operations of dynamically allocated FAA protected spectrum for UAS operations. In doing so, uAvionix builds upon the work of the ITU, ICAO, RTCA, FAA, and FCC in the allocation and establishment of service rules for UAS CNPC protected frequencies, bringing Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations closer to daily reality. The contracted solution is intended to ultimately manage a limited amount of protected spectrum on behalf of many operators in the same area at once, through use of specialized radios on each drone and on the ground to dynamically manage frequency assignments when they are needed, and just for the duration of each flight.
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