The International Consortium for Telemetry Spectrum Trends in

The International Consortium for Telemetry Spectrum Trends in Aeronautical Flight Test Telemetry Timothy Chalfant & Gerhard Mayer Edwards AFB International Seminar ICTS Aero. India 2009 Approved for Public Release Case AFFTC-08334 Distribution A: Distribution is unlimited Bangalore

Agenda 1. General Trends (G. Mayer) – The Spectrum Problem – The Role of the ICTS – WRC´ 07 Resolutions 2. Future Trends in FT Telemetry (T. Chalfant) – Flight Test Telemetry in C –Band – Network Topologies – Telemetry Standards 3. Summary and Conclusions

General Trends in flight test telemetry • More measured parameters per mission e. g. 3000 (AB 300), >30 000 (AB 380) • Higher amplitude & time resolution 8 b & 10 us (1970), 32 b & 100 ns (2008) • From PCM to packetized transmission protocol overhead ! • Leading to increased data rates 100 kbps (1970) , 40 Mbps (2008) • More frequency spectrum required !

Flight tests in civil aviation increase of measured parameters

The spectrum problem • Spectrum allocated for flight testing (1400 to 2450 MHz) has been outstripped by an exponential growth in required measurements and data rates • The existing telemetry bands are increasingly affected by encroachment from commercial interests and have been reduced internationally • Interference from unlicenced wireless devices has impacted the use of the remaining spectrum

Telemetry Spectrum demand increasing but supply decreasing

International Consortium for Telemetry Spectrum To Ensure the Future Availability of Electromagnetic Spectrum for Telemetering The ICTS is an international advocacy group of telemetry practitioners committed to promoting the benefits of electromagnetic spectrum for telemetering applications.

ICTS • Is a sponsored group of the International Foundation for Telemetering (IFT) – a not-for-profit organisation that hosts the annual Int. Telemetering Conference. • Comprises membership from Government, Industry, and Academia across the ITU regions • Is organised (mirroring the three ITU regions) for a regional co-ordination and communication/ networking (mainly using e-communication methods) • Under the rules of its IFT charter, the ICTS has no“official position” on spectrum requirements in the context of the WRC

Main Objectives In this endeavor, the main objectives of the ICTS are: • Create a forum for information exchange on potential telemetry spectrum issues, • inform national, regional, and international spectrum managers of the importance of telemetry to their economy and security and • inform and invite open participation in the group to all telemetry practitioners; including government; industry, academia, etc. and share information on the use, research, and development of new technologies for improving the use of telemetry spectrum.

Situation just before WRC 2007 • 5 additional bands for AMT were under study of AI 1. 5 (4. 4 to 6. 7 GHz). All bands are considered to have other users (existing occupants). • The CPM was the primary decision basis for delegates, commenting on advantages / disadvantages, on basis of compatibility and technical studies discussed at the WP 8 B. • ICTS information booth during the WRC 2007, to show the importance of AI 1. 5 to the delegates and decision makers of ALL nations.

REGION NOT 1 ALLOCATED NOT Except in Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, ALLOCATED Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Europe Oman, Qatar, Syrian Arab Republic, Africa Sudan, Tunisia REGION NOT Except Brasil, , Cuba, French 2 Except Brazil, Cuba, French overseas depts, ALLOCATED overseas deptmts Guatemala, Paraguay, America Brasil Uruguay, Venezuela REGION NOT NOT 3 ALLOCATED Asia&Pac Documents : 305 (COM 4), 335 (Plenary) ; 336 (Plenary) Documents : 305 (COM 4), 6700 MHz 5925 MHz 5250 MHz 5150 MHz 5091 MHz 5030 MHz 4940 MHz 4400 MHz Australia Documents : 305 (COM 4), 335 (Plenary) ; 336 (Plenary)

2. Future Trends in Flight Test Telemetry • C-Band Telemetry Operation • Network Topologies • Telemetry Standards

Flight Test Telemetry in C-Band • Link budget comparing C- to S-Band fc = 5170 MHz, λC = 5, 8 cm; f. S = 2320 MHz, λS = 13 cm free space attenuation increase, Δα ~ (λS/λC)² -7 d. B gnd antenna* gain can compensate, GR ~(λC/λS)² +7 d. B aperture angle of gnd antenna, * ~ λC/λS βc = 0, 45 x βs flight antenna, wide area coverage identical gain 0 d. B • Influence weather & environment additional Atmospheric loss in wet regions (40° lat. ) -3 d. B less gnd reflections expected at low elevation angles higher “roughness” of terrain, proportional λs/λc, generates diffuse refraction patterns instead reflections. * same effective antenna area for C-and S-Band assumed

CTEIP topics related to C-band Implementation • • Multi-mode, multi-band transmitters & control interfaces TM receiver changes required Multi-carrier, single-carrier waveforms Implementation of FEC and LDPC TM platform integration issues with C-band Integration into spectrum management systems Ob & Gnd multiband antennae systems Using & adaption existing tracking algorithms

i. NET multi-band gnd receiving antenna concept

Immediate Development & Testing Efforts • C-Band Hardware airborne FM/PCM transmitters available IRIG 106 Standard multimode transmitters in developmt Retrofit gnd antennae, down convert signals US Do. D project already supported initial flight trials • Operational Aspects Tracking systems & algorithms need up front evaluation Initial flight trials show no channel anomalies

Network Telemetry Topology The i. NET Project Goals Illustration • Preserve existing TM link for safety of life / flight • Make Bi-directional wireless network connection to TAs: – Dynamic bandwidth (spectrum) sharing based upon priority and quality of service – Improved transmission quality (error free delivery) – Access to data recorded on TA storage device – Ability to change configuration of TA instrumentation Courtesy US Do. D/CTEIP i. NET Program Office Flight Simulators Telemetry Network System (Tm. NS) Encompasses: • Vehicle Network (v. NET) (Test Article, TA) • RF Network (rf. NET) • Ground Network [Interface only (g. NET)] • Serial Streaming Telemetry (SST) Link 17

i. NET Project Description Telemetry Network System Routers Tm. NS Encompasses: Unit Network Data Acquisition Vehicle Data Acquisition Network Solid State Recorder Crypto Device Vehicle Data Acquisition Network Dedicated Legacy TM Link Range Network Interface i. NET Deliverables: • Tm. NS • Network Manager • Spectrum Manager • Architecture • Standards Dedicated Legacy TM Link RF Network Ground Network Vehicle Data Acquisition Network Dedicated Le gacy TM Link Aircraft Antenna Ground Antenna Network Transceiver Courtesy US Do. D/CTEIP i. NET Program Office Modified TM Processing Apps Flight Simulators Routers Network Instrumentation carts 18

i. NET Technical Parameters (notional) Performance Need Aeronautical and Aircraft Environment Threshold Objective Current Status 3 6 Threshold – Demo Sched for late FY 09 Operating Range (w/o relay) 100 NMi (185 km) 150 NMi (280 km) TBD (50 NMi Demonstrated) Operating Altitude Range Local ground level to 65 K ft Local ground level to 75 K ft TBD Maximum TA Speed Mach 2. 5 Mach 5 TBD Simultaneous Test Articles 4 16 TBD Network Throughput Air to Ground (per instantiation norelay) 8 X 106 bits per second (8 Mbps) 20 Mbps Network Throughput Ground to Air (per instantiation no-relay) 0. 8 Mbps 2 Mbps Measurand Synch w/in TA 10 usec 1 usec Objective - Demonstrated in LAB Measurand Synch between TAs 1 millisecond (ms) 100 usec TBD Highest Operating Information Assurance Levels Secret Top Secret TBD Network Spectrum Efficiency 0. 76 bits/second/hertz same TBD Service Levels (Quality) TBD 19 Courtesy US Do. D/CTEIP i. NET Program Office

Telemetry Standards • European Telemetry Standards Committee – Europe (and others) – www. aktm. org/etsc • Telemetry Standards Coordinating Council – Chartered by the Int’l Foundation for Telemetering – www. telemetry. org • Range Commanders Council (US DOD) – Aka Inter-Range Instrumentation Group (IRIG) – Stds made available to ETSC and TSCC

RCC Telemetry Standards • New Standards – Planned Releases • New TM Bands • TM Networks (IRIG-106 Vol 2) – IRIG-106 (Telemetry Standards) Recent Releases • • release every 2 years New Modulation (SOQPSK) New Digital Recorder formats (Ch-10) Updates to TM Attributes Standard Stds for expression of Measurement Uncertainty On-Board Networks CPM/Advance Modulation

Summary • The 2007 WRC succeeded in securing additional radio spectrum resources for aeronautical telemetry. An immediate use must be initiated! • The new “WRC-bands” will allow the implication of wide band TM links into flight test missions. In Region 3 (Asia & Pacific) up to 59 MHz of usable bandwidth will be allocable. • Components & systems for either new state-of-the art equipment or for upgrade of existing systems are already in work. Tracking systems & algorithms need an up front evaluation. • The Indian FT community needs to occupy the bands or they will lose access to critical spectrum. Commercial interests are hunting to catch more spectrum !!

Conclusions • Test ranges involved in international T & E missions should utilize telemetering capabilities in the new bands as soon as possible, especially the global harmonized part from 5091 to 5150 MHz. • Indian goverment was supporting AI 1. 5 in the WRC-07 process in a very cooperative way. • Therefore India Industry and government (HAL, DRDO, etc) is encouraged to take the next consequent step, to implement the Cband telemetry capability in their test ranges in these bands.

Further information ICTS Web site: www. telemetryspectrum. org IFT Web site: www. telemetry. org ITU Web site: www. itu. int/ITU-R/ ERO web site: www. ero. dk

Questions? Telemetry engineers do it with frequency! Are you getting enough?