Flight-Plan RF Resource Planning for Continuous UAV Links
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ensuring continuous and reliable air-to-ground communications for airborne assets, particularly unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), is challenging due to dynamic RF spectrum availability and interference from increasing air traffic, which complicates the planning of RF communications resources across diverse geographic areas.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for flight-plan based RF resource planning that generates an RF coverage plan by dividing a three-dimensional flight path into geofences, determining viable RF traffic resources, and assigning dedicated spectrum resources to maintain uninterrupted communication links.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If RF spectrum resources are allocated dynamically to airborne assets, then communication reliability is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary RF resource allocation by generating an RF coverage plan before the airborne asset deploys. The plan includes pre-identified viable RF traffic resources for each geofence along the flight path, allowing the asset to switch between pre-planned resources rather than making real-time decisions, thus improving reliability while managing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The flight path is divided into multiple geofences (three-dimensional geographic boundaries), and RF resources are allocated separately for each geofence. This segmentation allows the system to manage complexity by breaking down the overall allocation problem into smaller, manageable segments while ensuring continuous coverage across the entire flight path
2Reliability
If RF resources are switched frequently to maintain optimal communication, then signal-to-noise ratio is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system determines a set of viable RF traffic resources for each geofence rather than selecting a single resource. This allows the airborne asset to switch between multiple pre-identified viable resources within the same geofence without requiring frequent geofence transitions, reducing switching time while maintaining optimal signal-to-noise ratio
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple viable RF resources are pre-identified for each geofence before the flight begins. When the asset needs to switch resources, it can immediately transition to another pre-validated resource within the same geofence, avoiding the time penalty of searching for and validating new resources during flight
3Reliability
If dedicated RF spectrum resources are assigned to each airborne asset, then communication reliability is improved, but spectrum availability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows RF traffic resources to serve multiple airborne assets by allocating them dynamically based on flight plans and current needs. A single RF resource can be assigned to different assets at different times or to multiple assets simultaneously with appropriate coordination, increasing spectrum utilization efficiency while maintaining reliable communication for each asset
Solution Approach 2:
The RF resource allocation is dynamic rather than static. Resources are reallocated based on changing flight plans, geofence positions, and network conditions. This dynamic approach allows the same spectrum resources to serve different airborne assets at different times, maximizing spectrum availability while ensuring each asset has dedicated resources when needed
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein are systems and methods for assigning and managing RF communication links between ground-based stations and airborne assets. In one or more examples, a pilot or other user of the systems and methods described herein can generate and transmit a flight plan to a spectrum management system. Additionally, or alternatively, the pilot or use can also transmit additional information to the spectrum management system such as the type of aircraft/radio configuration that they will be using during a flight, and a request for a certain amount of data throughput that they want to have access to during the flight. In one or more examples, upon receiving the flight plan and/or information from the pilot, the spectrum management system can proceed to match the user's desired flight plan with one or more RF spectrum resources for the airborne radio of the pilot's UAV to use during their planned flight.