SEBASTIAN DE LOS REYES, Spain - Last month, Spain's UAV Navigation has announced that it has successfully flown an unmanned system beyond 300 kilometers using a UHF datalink.
A robust communication network between an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and the ground control station is paramount for the successful execution of a BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) operation. Although the VECTOR autopilot, UAV’s most advanced flight control system is fully capable of executing an entirely autonomous mission, a solid and reliable data or video link is essential. It facilitates the reception of information from the various subsystems in the aircraft, such as cameras and transponders. This information enables the operator to make quick and effective decisions during a mission.
Real-time monitoring of the platform is critical to evaluate the risk involved in the mission and to ensure flight safety. In the same way, secure transmission of telemetry through encrypted data is essential to prevent attacks and interferences. The flight control system developed by UAV Navigation has the proven ability to fly beyond 300 kilometers using a UHF datalink. It is specially designed by WAVENET RF Engineering to make UAV operations safer and more convenient. In the testing phase, the high quality of the link was proven, even under adverse conditions. This collaboration has shown the capabilities of both systems and the excellent relationship between the two companies involved.
Flight Control Solutions designed for Secure Communication
Apart from the size, power consumption, work frequencies, and available bandwidth, there’s one more key parameter that must be taken into account — secure data transfer. So, while choosing a radio link, it is imperative to make the decision based on the data link’s ability to seamlessly transfer data, without any loss of information. The visualization of the status by the operator and the quality of the link is very important in order to take preventive actions before the aircraft is seriously damaged. For that purpose, Visionair, the mission control software developed by UAV Navigation, includes a panel that displays data transmission statistics.
UAV Navigation’s flight control systems are designed to ensure flight safety. Although UAV Navigation’s flight control systems enable the platform to execute a completely autonomous mission, a radio link is essential. From take-off to landing, UAV Navigation knows the importance of monitoring the mission and being able to react during the flight. For this reason, we delve deeper into this issue, by working with some of the best datalink manufacturers. We spend time understanding the underlying challenges in providing an excellent communication link to the operators. Doing this allows operators access to valuable information, which enables them to successfully complete the mission.
