Designing and Implementing Future Aerial Communication Networks

Providing "connectivity from the sky" is the new innovative trend in wireless communications. High and low altitude platforms, drones, aircrafts and airships are being considered as the candidates for deploying wireless communications complementing the terrestrial communication infrastructure. In this article, we report the detailed account of the design and implementation challenges of an aerial network consisting of LTE Advanced (LTE-A) base stations. In particular, we review achievements and innovations harnessed by an aerial network composed of Helikite platforms. Helikites can be raised in the sky to bring Internet access during special events and in the aftermath of an emergency. The trial phase of the system mounting LTE-A technology onboard Helikites to serve users on the ground showed not only to be very encouraging but that such a system could offer even a longer lasting solution provided that inefficiency in powering the radio frequency equipment in the Helikite can be overcome.Comment: IEEE Communications Magazine 201

Aerial base stations with opportunistic links for next generation emergency communications

Rapidly deployable and reliable mission-critical communication networks are fundamental requirements to guarantee the successful operations of public safety officers during disaster recovery and crisis management preparedness. The ABSOLUTE project focused on designing, prototyping, and demonstrating a high-capacity IP mobile data network with low latency and large coverage suitable for many forms of multimedia delivery including public safety scenarios. The ABSOLUTE project combines aerial, terrestrial, and satellites communication networks for providing a robust standalone system able to deliver resilience communication systems. This article focuses on describing the main outcomes of the ABSOLUTE project in terms of network and system architecture, regulations, and implementation of aerial base stations, portable land mobile units, satellite backhauling, S-MIM satellite messaging, and multimode user equipments

Rapidly Deployable Network for Tactical Applications: Aerial Base Station with Opportunistic Links for Unattended and Temporary Events, ABSOLUTE example

Hybrid aerial and terrestrial communication systems have recently emerged for public safety communications and tactical applications due to their fast deployment and large coverage capabilities. A key question is the choice of the communication payload depending on the aerial platform being deployed. Indeed, this payload depends on several factors including the aerial platform size, the payload weight as well as coverage and capacity requirements. This article analyses different options and presents the work which is ongoing in ABSOLUTE (Aerial Base Station with Opportunistic Links for Unattended and Temporary Events) European project. It first summarizes the outputs of the user requirements as developed in ABSOLUTE. Then, different aerial platforms and associated payload for a rapidly deployable tactical network are discussed, and the hybrid aerial and terrestrial communication system as developed in the project is presented. Finally it presents research topics and remaining challenges are highlighted

Newsletter Arbeits-, Umwelt- und Gesundheitsschutz

This paper introduces a rapidly deployable wireless network based on Low Altitude Platforms and portable land units to support disaster-relief activities, and to extend capacity during temporary mass events. The system integrates an amalgam of radio technologies such as LTE, WLAN and TETRA to provide heterogeneous communications in the deployment location. Cognitive radio is used for autonomous network con�guration. Sensor networks monitor the environment in real-time during relief activities and provide distributed spectrum sensing capacities. Finally, remote communications are supported via S-band satellite links

Experimental Analysis of 3.5 GHz WiMAX 802.16e interference in WiMedia-defined UWB radio transmissions

The interference produced by WiMAX mobile wireless transmissions operating in the 3.5 GHz band on a WiMedia-defined ultra-wideband (UWB) wireless link is experimentally analyzed in this paper. The investigation includes standard IEEE 802.16e WiMAX, and ECMA-368 UWB equipment as defined by the WiMedia alliance. A conventional meeting room scenario has been considered for the measurements. The experimental results indicate that WiMAX transmitters must be located at distances larger than 5 m from the UWB receiver to guarantee successful UWB communication