Rockwell Collins, Inc.

George Tyler Barney

Boe A Svatek

George F Elmasry

Nicholas Liberko

Kevin McElroy

David Fogerty

Jason Thompson

Corrie E Block

Carrie Block

An unmanned aircraft system (UAS) control apparatus is disclosed. In embodiments, the UAS control apparatus is embodied in a control station to manage command and control (C2) functions for UAS operations in a designated coverage volume including a geofenced interference region proximate to the control station, controlling each UAS via connections on a spectrum of C2 channels. The UAS control apparatus generates flight plans for UAS operations, providing separation and keeping UAS operations away from the control station to minimize RF interference with other UAS C2 connections. Should a UAS be required to operate proximate to the control station, the UAS control apparatus employs dynamic spectrum management with respect to other concurrently operating UAS to eliminate, reduce, or mitigate RF interference resulting from the encroaching UAS.

System and method for optimized unmanned aircraft system (UAS) spectrum planning via dynamic airspace and spectrum allocation

A fusion engine configured for execution on a ground radio station (GRS) for an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) operating environment is disclosed. In embodiments, the fusion engine tracks the wait times of UAS required to share a C2 channel while waiting for a full C2 link with the GRS, as well as the dynamic availability of C2 channels for full or shared C2 links over time. Based on the collected wait times and availability variables, the fusion engine generates congestion metrics relevant to the capacity of the GRS, e.g., its available spectrum resources, to effectively provide C2 services to every UAS operating within its coverage area. Congestion metrics include expected wait times on a shared C2 link fora UAS in service (e.g., waiting fora full C2 link) and/or the expected number of C2 channels available at the GRS at a given time.

System and method for generating control and non-payload communication (CNPC) congestion metrics at a ground control station

A command and control (C2) radio system configured for same-channel out-of-band sensing is disclosed. In embodiments, the radio system (e.g., an air radio system (ARS) aboard an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) or a ground radio station (GRS)) scans its switching back to the appropriate operating frequency before the next subframe starts. The radio system processes the collected energy samples to determine minimum and mean operating frequencies for idle subframes and slots where a preamble is not detected. The radio system uses idle frames to scan sensing frequencies assigned by a central server of the C2 link system, collecting spectral energy sources during the idle timeslots and energy levels, thereby identifying the level of interference on the assigned frequency (e.g., due to noise or interfering signals) and hypothesizes whether the detected interference is tolerable or precludes current use of the assigned signal in the vicinity of the radio system.

System and method for same-channel out-of-band spectrum sensing for command and control (C2) communications to unmanned aircraft systems (UAS)

A centralized spectrum arbitrator for a command and control (C2) link system is disclosed. In embodiments, the spectrum arbitrator receives sensor fusion data from the air radio systems (ARS) and ground radio systems (GRS) of the C2 link system, each dataset comprising mean energy levels for a particular frequency and location. The spectrum arbitrator determines a time average of the energy levels and evaluates interference with the frequency at the location (e.g., whether the interference is tolerable or the frequency should not be used) and attempts to classify interfering signals (e.g., as radar, malicious, of the C2 link system or competing). The spectrum arbitrator may further fuse sensor fused data into additional spectrum situational awareness (SA) outputs illustrating or recommending opportunistic frequency use or reuse across the C2 link system.

System and method for spectrum situational awareness via server-based fusion in a command and control (C2) link system for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS)

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North Liberty, IA, United States of America

George Tyler Barney