1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The ComCept Division, L-3 Communications Corporation (ComCept) has engaged the University of Colorado (CU) to design, install and operate a wireless communications test bed and to integrate and operate Remotely Piloted Vehicles (RPV), which will interact with it. This is a proposal for the third phase of this project, which includes incorporating additional functionalities to the test bed and final execution of all tests in accordance with the designs from earlier phases on the test bed and equipment deployed in Phase 2. This proposal is being submitted to ComCept by the Interdisciplinary Telecommunications Program and the Aerospace Engineering Department within the College of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

2.0 COMCEPT OVERVIEW AND OJECTIVES

The following specifies the overview and objectives of the proposed project and gives the reader a general idea of the proposed efforts and activities that constitute the project. It also stresses the importance of this program.

2.1 Overview

Effective communications among and between the airborne and terrestrial assets are essential. The demand for more bandwidth is predictably growing with each new generation of aircraft. This evolving situation mandates that commercial communications standards be incorporated and used wherever possible. More emphasis is being placed on space, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), terrestrial mobile, terrestrial fixed, and optionally piloted vehicle (OPV) assets to support these evolving communication demands.

2.2Project Objective

The objective of this communications test-bed element is to provide a suite of next-generation terrestrially and aircraft wireless communication experiments that will support the ComCept effort. These unique airborne and terrestrial assets will form an IP-centric network. Therefore, this project will focus on the use of innovative aerial vehicles and IEEE 802 wireless protocol suites and possible companion technologies represented by next-generation terrestrial cellular radio systems. These experiments will demonstrate the potential for the rapid deployment of an IP-centric, broadband network that will support both airborne and terrestrial military campaigns anywhere, anytime.

2.2Project Scope

The University shall provide management, engineering, operational and subject matter expertise to ComCept in accomplishing the specific tasks described in this document. The University shall support ComCept by designing an IEEE 802.11b based ad hoc networking wireless communications test bed to support ground and airborne communications experiments.

At a minimum, University participation in these experiments will include:

  • Establishment and operation of a series of linked 802.11b sites that can be operated in various modes to support surface and airborne evaluation of 802.11b communications applications
  • Integration and employment of two or three airborne UAVs to evaluate control of vehicles, use of vehicles as a bridging function between two sites, and retrieval of information from the vehicle via 802.11b communications.
  • Employment of nodes mounted on one or more stationary or moving terrestrial vehicles and one or more dismounted individuals to evaluate connections with vehicle and hand held 802.11b operations in a variety of settings and geometries
  • Test-bed monitoring and data collection with remote access capability.

This Phase 3 will build on the test bed developed and deployed in Phase 2which in turn is based on initial design assessments from Phase 1. It will include a series of designs and operational tests in preparation for a final test bed demonstration.

3.0 PROJECT OVERVIEW

This project will deploy a set of small terrestrially based communication sites. These sites will be over-flown by a flight of one or more UAVs. In addition, the sites will support interconnection with terrestrial vehicles or personnel. All will be fitted with various experimental communication and network alternative payloads. The fundamental underpinning of these network components will be based on the IP-centric IEEE 802 wireless COTS standards and supporting software and hardware. Therefore, each active node of this network will represent an ad hoc member of the network. These nodes may be turned on and off or be added to or disengage themselves from the network at will as long as they are within the footprint of any other wireless network component. All communications will be two-way and will have broadband access via a designated Internet gateway. Terrestrial activity will accommodate moving and stationary vehicle-mounted and hand-held equipment.

This project will employ a set of UAVs built by the Aerospace Engineering Department at CU. Compared to existing UAVs, these aerial vehicles will provide a wider range of flight profiles, be better matched to the lighter anticipated communication payloads, be more cost effective, provide risk mitigation, and demonstrate a new dimension of creativity.

This project will start with a set of modest and achievable communication testbed experiments to demonstrate the application of the IEEE 802.11b wireless protocols for this type of application. This approach will provide meaningful data to raise the level of confidence that such a capability is achievable. This will establish the prerequisites for further and expanded tests and demonstrations that will culminate in the final series of experiments in summer 2004.

Though committed to 802.11b for this project, alternative communication technologies will be assessed during this project for possible deployment in future projects. These technologies may include other IEEE 802 communication technologies: 802.11a, 802.11g, 802.16a, and 802.16e. It may also include WAN technologies such as GSM and CDMA cellular network or PAN technologies such as Bluetooth and UWB.

4.0 CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS

An ad hoc radio network is a collection of radio nodes that automatically form a communication network. When source and destination nodes can not reach each other directly, intermediate nodes can cooperate to relay packets along multi-hop routes from the source to the destination. This routing is automatic and reacts in real time to node mobility and nodes that join or leave the network.

The ultimate goal in this project is to demonstrate that an ad hoc network of radio nodes carried by aerial vehicles, fixed stations, terrestrial vehicles, and personnel:

1)Provides connectivity and communication services to terrestrial users. In this scenario, the aerial vehicles are optional and support connectivity among the terrestrial end users.

2)Provide connectivity and communication services to aerial vehicles. In this scenario, a forward aerial vehicle communicates with a command center back through the ad hoc network.

These capabilities are not mutually exclusive and a sub-goal of the project is to use a single radio design for both scenarios. We consider this most cost-effective as it minimizes hardware development to a single platform. More importantly, it provides the greatest operational flexibility. The ad hoc radios are based on COTS 802.11b peripheral cards and therefore small, low cost, and lightweight. Such radios can support UAV missions. It is expected that small UAVs will provide rapidly-deployed low-cost connectivity in support of capability (1) above. It is also expected that with capability (2) above, the communication range and operational envelope of small UAVs can be extended. For these reasons, this project focuses on developing a test range to demonstrate the above capabilities in conjunction with UAVs.

The test range will consist of an area several miles on a side within which various fixed and mobile terrestrial radios will be deployed and over which aircraft will fly. The actual test bed dimensions will depend on such variables as the operational goals of test planning, funding, terrain and range restrictions, site access, range safety, RF power restrictions, RF frequency restrictions, and terrestrial node configurations such as tower height, environmental issues, and so on.

The number of nodes will consist of at least three terrestrial vehicle nodes, three fixed nodes, and three aerial nodes in order to test the multihop ad hoc network performance in the different regimes. A monitoring server will have real time access to the location, state, and performance for each radio node.

Experiments will provide answers to specific networking questions, including:

  • What is the impact of the network on end-to-end throughput and latency?
  • What network availability can nodes expect as a function of operational scenario?
  • How fast can a UAV be deployed to establish network connectivity for separated nodes?
  • What is the feasibility of mixed airborne, land mobile, and land fixed participants in such a network?

These experiments will define the ultimate performance that can be expected in such networks. Like previous work, CU was provided with aircraft, pilots, technicians, and test equipment where and when it was needed and requested.

5.0 TECHNICAL DISCUSSIONS AND DETAILED ACTIVITIES

The University shall design and document an 802.11b ad hoc network test bedto demonstrate the capabilities described in Section 4. Design documentation will include:

  • A diagram and description of the equipment at each communications test-bed site.
  • An annotated layout of the geographic deployment sites.
  • A diagram of the connections between test range radio nodes and a terminating point suitable for connection to a server and onward connection via the internet to a designated remote subscriber.
  • A design package for a selected UAV that describes operational employment of the UAV to include preflight checkout, launch, in-flight operation and recovery.

The design shall accommodate teardown and relocation of the test-bed. The design documentation shall include a brief description of the required procedure and an estimate of the time required to accomplish teardown and packing and unpack and relocated set-up. The design documentation shall include provisions to interface communications test-bed traffic to ColoradoUniversity facilities, as appropriate, and onward to a remote access subscriber. The address for remote access node shall be provided at a later date. Appropriate security procedures shall be implemented (logon, password, and encryption).

5.1 CurrentProjectState

Phase I of this project began in summer 2003. A formal kickoff meeting was held September, 2003. Phase I has been completed and Phase 2 is in progress. Sponsor TIM meetings were held in December 2003, and January 2004. Specific accomplishments so far include:

1)A WiFi Test Bed Design & Interface Specification has been completed based on earlier analysis and testing. This document provides design, interface, and equipment detail for a special test bed used to evaluate a WiFi-based (802.11b) Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) made up of terrestrial and airborne nodes, with broadband connectivity back to a Network Operations Center (NOC). In addition, documentation associated with federal, state, and local approvals required to operate the test bed is provided.

2)A WiFi Test Bed Experimentation Plan has been completed based on TIMs with sponsor based on earlier analysis and testing. This document provides experimentation plan details associated with a WiFi-based (802.11b) Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) test.

3)A test bed site has been selected, the Table Mountain National Radio Quiet Zone, near Boulder, CO. The site is 3km by 4km and has networking and power facilities that support the experiments. Approvals have been obtained for use during Phase 2. Some preliminary testing has taken place at the site.

4)A mesh network radio (MNR) communication platform has been designed. 11 MNR have been built, 7 of which are packaged in an environmental enclosure suitable for outdoor deployment; and 4 of which are ready to be mounted in a UAV.

5)The UAV has been designed and one UAV has been built based on the design. The UAV has a design speed, endurance, and payload of 100kmph, 4 hours, and 5kg.

6)Mesh network protocols have been written, ported to the MNR, and tested.

7)Basic monitoring functionality has been implemented. The MNR can be tracked and data captured in real time.

8)Alternative communication technologies including 802.16 and GSM cellular have been assessed.

Phase 2 will continue concurrently with Phase 3through September 30, 2004. Phase 3 will continue to 7 months ARO estimated to be in November 2004. Different elements of Phase 3testing will start asynchronously as they become available through Phase 2 development.

5.3 Specific Phase 3 Tasks

Phase 3will start on or about May 1, 2004 and continue through November 30, 2004.

The goal of this phase is to use the test bed developed in Phase 2 to complete the full set of tests identified in Phase 1 plus additional testing identified by the sponsor. In Phase 3 we will work in six areas:

1)The University shall issue a Deployment and Test Plan that provides project plan detail associated with completing all tasks within time and budget constraints.

2)The University shall release updates of the following documents that were generated in Phases 1 and 2 of the project: WiFi Test Bed Experimentation Plan and WiFi Test Bed Design & Interface Specification.

3)The University will seek and obtain a Memorandum of Agreement for Cooperative Research that establishes the right to operate the wireless test bed at the TableMountain field site through the duration of Phase 3.

4)The University shall perform all demonstration and test experiments on the WiFi test-bed as specified in the WiFi Test Bed Experimentation Plan. Any experiments and/or demonstrations from Phase 2 that need to be refined or repeated shall be performed. All demonstrations and tests not completed during Phase 2 shall be completed in Phase 3.

5)The University shall support and cooperate with Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) by performing operational tests at the TableMountain test site during their fly-over missions, presently scheduled for June, 2004. SNC will conduct at least two test flights to measure various signal strength and geometries. The University shall operate the test-bed so that the SNC aircraft can complete its data collection in a receive-only mode. Scheduling of test bed operations and maintaining log reports on all active nodes during fly-over times is required.

6)The University shall integrate, operate, and maintain an Iridium radio system (with appropriate service contract being put in place if necessary) to provide a wireless backhaul connection to the internet. The Iridium radio system will be government furnished equipment provided through ComCept. It shall then experiment with monitoring network operations and maintaining connectivity via this link.

Contractually and administratively the Phase 3 efforts will support the following deliverables to the sponsor:

  • Deployment and Test Plan – 30 days ARO
  • Update to WiFi Test Bed Experimentation Plan - 2 Months ARO
  • Update to WiFi Test Bed Design & Interface Specification - 3 Months ARO
  • Update to Memorandum of Agreement for Cooperative Research - 4 Months ARO
  • Proposal for recommended further testing - 4 Months ARO
  • WiFi Test-bed Experiment Final Report - 7 Months ARO
  • Monthly Expenditure and Progress Report - Monthly (1st submission 30 days ARO; subsequent inputs NLT 7 business days after close-out of the prior business month)
  • Host technical interchange meetings (TIM) as directed by the sponsor.

A table is provided below with an outline of activities in Phase 3 in relation to Phase2.

This is provided to clarify the type and level of effort. All timing is estimated and contingent on funding starting on or before May 1.

Week / Phase 2 / Phase 3
April 2
9 / Test bed exercise: flight operations
16 / Test Bed Deployed
23 / Exercise report
30 / Exercise scripts tested in lab / Nominal Start: May 1
May 7
14 / Test bed exercise: scripts / SNC flight integration plan
21 / Plane 2 completed, flight tested / Iridium integration plan
28 / Exercise report / Deployment and test plan
June 4 / Waypoint navigation tested
11 / Multi-tier ad hoc routing
18 / Test bed exercise: SNC flyover
25 / Updated experimentation plan
July 2 / VoIP functionality / Exercise report
9 / Test bed exercise: mobile nodes / Lab based checkout of all tests
16 / Test bed experimentation report / Iridium equipment acquired
23 / Exercise report / Further research+testing proposal
30 / Updated design specification
August 6
13 / Real time remote monitoring / Updated cooperative agreement
20 / Test bed exercise: all experiments
27 / Test bed exercise: all experiments
September 3 / Iridium testing in lab
10 / Exercise report
17 / Test bed exercise: Iridium
24
October 1 / Exercise report
8
15 / Final remote monitor interface
22
29 / Final updated documents
November 5
12
19 / Final Report

By the end of Phase 3, we will have the ability to rapidly deploy a communication infrastructure using airborne and terrestrial nodes. A NOC framework for remote monitoring, access, and control will be in place.

5.5 Programmatic Issues

The project team will provide for the purpose of these experiments the:

  • Research documentation such as project and thesis reports.
  • University laboratory facilities.
  • Local ground and flight test range.
  • Integrated ground equipment.
  • Operational support for flying the UAVs.
  • Test and collection software.
  • Operational support for the network and NOC.

Portions of the items above will be contracted rather than provided by the CU. The program team will either install or contract for the installation of part or all of the ground systems and AP-to-NOC data link. The project team will contract for general aviation aircraft and/or pilots as needed to support testing and development.

ComCept furnished equipment and support will include:

  • Testbed and hardware equipment where appropriate.
  • Appropriate reference documentation.
  • Operational support for test bed rehearsals.

BFE Items Previously Provided to University (Inventoried as of March 3rd, 2004):

  • 35 Orinoco 802.11b Gold PC Cards
  • 35 External Adaptor Cables
  • 14 Avaya Wireless LAN Outdoor Routers
  • 7 IBM Netvista M42 Desktop Computers
  • 6 Linksys Ethernet Switches
  • 5 IBM Thinkpad Laptop Computers
  • 5 Wavelan Ethernet Converters
  • 1 Set Agilent E6474 Wireless Network Optimization Software and Cables
  • 1 Redhat LINUX 8.0
  • 2 Sharp Zaurus Linux PDAs with Camera Attachments
  • 1 Berkeley Varitronics Yellowjacket 802.11 Analyzer and Software
  • 2 Dell Inspiron Portable Computers with Power Adapters
  • 7 Fidelity Comtech 802.11 Ground Radio Units
  • 4 Fidelity Comtech 802.11 UAV Radio Units

6.0 PROGRAM MANAGEMENT AND OVERSIGHT