SATELLITE-UAV COOPERATIVE MISSIONS: STATUS AND OUTLOOK

Transcription

1 Workshop on Unmanned Aerial Systems and Satellite Services SATELLITE-UAV COOPERATIVE MISSIONS: STATUS AND OUTLOOK ESTEC (Noordwijk) 27th-28th May 2009

2 INDEX 01 Index 02 Project scope 03 Objectives 04 Satellite benefits to UAS missions 05 Survey of European and Canadian UAS market 06 Survey of current and planned UAS programmes 07 UAS and airspace integration (EDA Air4All initiative) 08 Questionnaire results 09 Driven requirements for integration of satellite and UAS 10 Driven system architectures 11 Trade-off criteria 12 Conclusions 2

3 PROJECT SCOPE Satellite-UAS collaborative mission can be defined as any mission where the satellite and the UAS extend the capabilities of each other: Missions where the space segment provides assistance for the UAS navigation and surveillance Missions where the space segment acts as a relay for routine operation communications (BLOS), e.g. relay command and control, ATC, Missions where the space segment serves as a relay for data collected by UAV payload (BLOS). Missions where the UAV serves as a communication relay for the satellite data in areas with difficult access such as urban areas. Missions where the satellite-uav collaboration is implemented on the ground by the fusion of the information produced separately by the satellite and the UAV, e.g. the exploitation of images with different resolution from space and air 3

4 OBJECTIVES To provide a survey of ongoing and planned civil and security European and Canadian UAS programmes requiring cooperative missions between satellites and UAS To investigate the feasibility and benefit of a dedicated European satellite capability to support UAS missions while meeting their requirements To provide feasible system architectures supporting the synergy of UAS and satellites technologies in the domains of: BLOS communications Precision satellite-based global positioning Integration of UAS in ATM airspace Service specific missions requiring concurrent use of satellites and UAS 4

5 SATELLITE BENEFITS TO UAS MISSIONS (I) Satellites benefit UAS in two ways: Providing CNS (Communications, Navigation, Surveillance) services Complementing/enhancing UAS capabilities by performing joint missions. CNS services to UAS: In general, services are mature for all UAS Navigation/Positioning, as well as for Communications and Cooperative Surveillance for MALE/HALE/HAP UAS. UAS Category Micro Mini Tactical MALE HALE / HAP Navigation/ Positioning High High High High High Satellite Services for UAS Safety Comms. Low Medium Medium High High Payload Comms. Low Low Medium High High Cooperative Surveillance Low Medium Medium High High 5

6 SATELLITE BENEFITS TO UAS MISSIONS (II) Joint Satellite-UAS missions: The integration of satellites and UAS has the potential of unique civil and security global missions, including time-critical and lifecritical operations The synergy UAS-Satellite stem from their complementary characteristics with regards to the capability to provide data to the operators or users Strengths of one system can balance weaknesses of the other system Area Coverage Pre-conflict data availability Data/Service Cost to Users Characteristic Resolution (e.g. atmospheric effects on resolution) Availability (when and where required) Flexibility (to change mission parameters, type of payload, ) Real Time (direct use of data and response time of the system) Maintainability and upgrade of the system and payload Heterogeneity of quality for the same service Satellite Better Worse Worse Worse Worse Better Worse Better Better UAS Worse Better Better Better Better Worse Better Worse Worse 6

7 SURVEY OF EUROPEAN AND CANADIAN UAS MARKET (I) Nearly 1000 referenced models of all UAS classes worldwide: Europe: 27.3% Canada: 0.5% NOTE: Most referenced UAS are Defence oriented but dual use is possible in most cases In Unmanned Aircrafts were produced worldwide by main UAS manufacturers Europe: 6% Canada: 0.3 % 7

8 SURVEY OF EUROPEAN AND CANADIAN UAS MARKET (II) Medium/High Altitude Long Endurance Platforms Most suitable for Satellite-UAS Cooperative Missions Nearly 80 Models of Long Endurance Platforms (MALE+HALE) referenced worldwide Europe: 9 % Canada: 0 % 15.4% 9.0% 0.0% On average, a forecast of about 100 Long Endurance Platforms (MALE+HALE) for Europe in the period Recent studies predict an optimistic number of 210 MALE+HALE by 2020 Units (ACs) 3.8% % 5.1% MALE+HALE UAS 9.0% 0.0% 56.4% Europe Canada USA Latin America Middle East Asia Oceania Africa International NOTE: Most referenced UAS are Defence oriented but dual use is possible in Long Endurance UAS - EUROPE most cases Min. Max. Average 8

9 SURVEY OF CURRENT AND PLANNED UAS PROGRAMMES Typical missions for Satellite-UAS cooperation: Mission Border Surveillance / Coastguard Emergency / Disaster Monitoring Forestry Monitoring / Fire Spotting Earth Observation / Scientific missions Communications & Broadcasting Most suitable UAS for Coop. Mission MALE/HALE MALE/HALE/HAP MALE/HALE/HAP HALE/HAP HALE/HAP More than 20 types of planned/envisioned UAS-satellite cooperative missions, and at least 10 types already conducted or being conducted as pilot experiences. Due to the challenges of UAS integration into non-segregated airspace, first established missions will be (and already are) governmental (e.g. security/surveillance, emergencies, fire-fighting ) and scientific/eo as they can be conducted in segregated/restricted airspace, above mean traffic or remote/sparsely populated areas. Most UAS (MALE/HALE) from the Defence world but they can be dual purpose (Military/Civil) 9

10 UAS AND AIRSPACE INTEGRATION (EDA AIR4ALL INITIATIVE) (I) Hurdles to UAS airspace integration: Internationally harmonised regulatory and standardisation framework for UAS Airspace and ATM system evolution to cope with the increasing demand of airspace users, among them the Unmanned Aviation community Reliability of UAS and the safety of their operations Effective and affordable collision avoidance system capable of detecting both cooperative (transponder equipped) and noncooperative (non-transponder equipped) traffics Frequency spectrum allocation and sufficient bandwidth availability for UAS operations Security in UAS operations Insurance liability costs Adequate business cases for UAS operations Social barriers: public apprehension or rejection of UAS and resistance from existing airspace users 10

11 UAS AND AIRSPACE INTEGRATION (EDA AIR4ALL INITIATIVE) (II) Challenges identified by 1. Technical 2. Rules and regulations 4. Transversal issues Traffic separation and collision avoidance Communications Platform management Autonomous / Automatic operations Environmental 3. Procedures and training 1.1.Separation 1.2. Collision avoidance 1.3. Secure and sustainable communications for Command and Control (C2) 1.4. Radio bandwidth allocation 1.5. ATC interface 1.6. Dependable emergency recovery (including forced landings) 1.7. Health monitoring/fault Detection 1.8. Automatic take off /landing systems 1.9. Automatic taxiing GNSS Autonomous behaviour / decision making Weather detection and protection Others (not UAS specific / addressed in the study): Interoperability; Operator interface; Visual landmark and obstacle avoidance 2.1 Harmonized military process 2.2 Agreed rules and regulations with authorities 3.1. UAS pilot / Commander training 3.2. Security of ground station 4.1 Public acceptance Satellites contribution to overcome challenges GNSS, BLOS Comms. BLOS Comms. Voice Relay GNSS BLOS Comms. Meteo Satellites Remote training via Sat. Accuracy, Reliability 11

12 QUESTIONNAIRE RESULTS OVERVIEW Survey conducted among Stakeholders: UAS and payload manufacturers Satellite services providers NOTE: Still receiving answers. Regulatory and Standardisation bodies So far 25% but most stakeholders represented UAS-related working groups and associations Provisional results confirm: UAS missions requiring Satellite services for BLOS operations are of high interest Satellite services required for Navigation and Communications (safety, payload) Requirements depend on mission. E.g. 2-5 Mbps downlink, kbps C2, < 0.5s latency, Sense & Avoid is the most mentioned challenge for integration into non-segregated airspace. Other challenges: Regulations, Frequency spectrum, Reliability of subsystems, Comms latency, Adaptation to ATM, 12

13 DRIVEN REQUIREMENTS FOR INTEGRATION OF SATELLITE SERVICES AND UAS (I) Mission requirements for MALE/HALE UAV Main civil and security missions supported by satellite technologies: Earth observation and remote sensing Security, surveillance missions and monitoring: law enforcement, Search and Rescue and Disaster Relieve, Border patrol and Monitoring missions Telecommunications relay and Broadcasting Payload types: Electro-optical / Infrared sensors: Real time video, Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging (LIDAR), digital camera, multispectral camera Radars: Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) SIGINT & Warfare systems Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) sensors Specific payload for telecommunications relay and broadcasting Operable over Europe and surrounding regions, in all weather 13

14 DRIVEN REQUIREMENTS FOR INTEGRATION OF SATELLITE SERVICES AND UAS (II) UAS-Satellite communication data links required to ensure mission and safety of flight: Mission link C2 link Sense & Avoid link ATC relay link Mission communication data link Safety communication data link Safety communication data link is a high reliability data link that requires relatively low data rate and can be accommodated by low frequency bands: L or S Mission communication data link requires much bandwidth (high capacity) which is available only at higher frequency bands: Ku or Ka WRC-11 Agenda Item 1.3 addresses spectrum requirements and possible regulatory actions, including allocations, in order to support safe operation of UAS. 14

15 DRIVEN REQUIREMENTS FOR INTEGRATION OF SATELLITE SERVICES AND UAS (III) Satellite communication data links requirements Mission data link Safety data link Data link Forward Return Forward Return Data Data ATC (voice) C2 ATC (voice) C2 (data) C2 (real time video) S&A Type Throughput 200 kbps < 30 Mbps for future applications 2 8 Mbps for current applications 16 kbps kbps 16 kbps kbps 256 kbps kbps (real time video) BER < 10-8 < 10-6 / 10-8 < 10-6 <10-8 <10-8 <10-8 < / 10-8 Delay sensitive No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Link Availability / / / / / / / / Advanced-UAV with on-board processing capabilities and advanced compression algorithms could reduce the mission data link bit rate requirements 15

16 DRIVEN REQUIREMENTS FOR INTEGRATION OF SATELLITE SERVICES AND UAS (IV) Integration of UAS into the future European ATM system requirements: Integration of UAS into non-segregated airspace is a key driver for future civil and security UAS development and growth. Two key issues are required to achieve the required level operability in non-segregated airspace: To achieve a seamless integration into current and future ATC procedures To maintain equivalent levels of safety as in manned aviation (Collision avoidance systems Sense and Avoid) Satellite telecommunication services contribute to the UAV airspace integration assuring compliance with ATM stringent service requirements (Communications Operating Concept and Requirements for the Future Radio System ) by relying the ATC communications to the UAV remote pilot 16

17 ATC comms relay - Voice - Data SATELLITE-UAV COOPERATIVE MISSIONS: STATUS AND OUTLOOK DRIVEN REQUIREMENTS FOR INTEGRATION OF SATELLITE SERVICES AND UAS (V) Integration of UAS into the future European ATM system requirements Feasible scenarios identification As UAV should behave in the ATM system as a manned aircraft, the most feasible options are those labelled as (1) and (2): UAV relays ATC communications (data and voice) from ATC to RPC (and vice versa) ATC data volume depends on the level of automation of the UAV Compliance of service requirements should be assessed Satellite system supporting ATM services ATC data link Satellite Component: - Voice - Data ATC ATC data link Satellite Component EATMN 1 ATC data link Terrestrial Component: - Voice - Data ATC UAV ATC 3 4 ATC comms relay: - Voice - Data ATC comms: - Voice - Data Safety communications satellite system relay UAV GES RPC (GCS) 2 Wired or Wirless network OPAC (Mission Center) 17

18 DRIVEN REQUIREMENTS FOR INTEGRATION OF SATELLITE SERVICES AND UAS (VI) Data link security requirements Main threats Eavesdropping Information corruption Information alteration THREATS Eavesdropping Information corruption Information alteration Impersonate Denial of Service (flood and inject) Deliberate RF interference Authentication Cryptographic (COMSEC) Impersonate Denial of service (flood and inject) Deliberate RF interference (jamming) COUNTERMEASURES EPM (TRANSEC) Robust network protocols Forward Error Correction 18

19 DRIVEN REQUIREMENTS FOR INTEGRATION OF SATELLITE SERVICES AND UAS (VII) Space segment capacity requirements Space segment shall provide Safety and Mission BLOS communications: Satellite communication can be used as a primary (BLOS) or secondary (redundant) communication means for safety related data links Primary communication means for mission data link in BLOS conditions Prediction of MALE/HALE UAV operating in Europe by 2020 is around 200, Satellite capacity for safety data links: 200 MALE/HALE UAV. Other UAV types could also be equipped with satellite communications for safety purposes Satellite capacity for mission data link: 20 MALE/HALE UAV simultaneous (coarse estimation: 10% of MALE/HALE UAV) 19

20 DRIVEN SYSTEM ARCHITECTURES (I) Overall scenario and system breakdown Satellite system supporting ATM services ATC ATC data link ATC data link EATMN ATC data link ATC Satellite Positioning System (GNSS) Precise SatNav service UAVs ATC ATC data link Mission Data link UAV GES RPC 1 (GCS) Mission communications satellite system relay Mission Data link Wired or Wirless network C2, S&A and ATC relay data link Mission Data link RPC n (GCS) OPAC 1 (Mission Center) C2, S&A and ATC relay data link C2, S&A and ATC relay data link UAV GES OPAC n (Mission Center) Safety communications satellite system relay User Segment Ground Segment Space Segment 20

21 DRIVEN SYSTEM ARCHITECTURES (II) Architecture options Short-term architecture, based on current space segment assets Long term architecture, based on future space segment assets Short-term architecture: Safety communications data link(c2, S&A and ATC): Inmarsat / Iridium Mission data link (payload data): Artemis, Intelsat Short-term architecture gaps: Lack of low latency / high reliability satellite links for safety UAV communications Lack of coverage over low population density areas (polar and desert areas). Satellite communications will be mostly needed for UAVs operating in oceanic or other remote airspaces Lack of large satellite bandwidth for mission data Current FSS Ku band satellite tele-density capable of supporting UAV application. (Ground station in Europe, UAV around the world. Red 30 Satellites, Blue 1 satellite). In some region chances to find an available transponder are 1 in 10. From UAV Satellite Data link Global Supply & Demand - A State of the Art, Dylan Browne, CEO, London Satellite Exchange, United Kingdom, UVS INFO. Yearbook

22 DRIVEN SYSTEM ARCHITECTURES (III) Long-term simple architecture Space segment: Future satellite equipped with dedicated mission communication payload (Ku or Ka frequency band) and dedicated safety communications payload (L or S frequency band) 1 single beam over Europe Ground segment (GS): Minimum GS architecture: centralised with site redundancy for availability requirements providing communications between ground entities (RPC and OPCA) and UAVs Distributed architecture is supported for political or administrative reasons RF BB I/F Mission comms Satety comms Future Satellite Future satellite WAN Mission comms Safety comms Safety comms Mission comms RF BB I/F UAV GES RPC OPAC GES Backup 22

23 GES 1 active GES 2 active GES 3 Backup GES 4 Backup SATELLITE-UAV COOPERATIVE MISSIONS: STATUS AND OUTLOOK DRIVEN SYSTEM ARCHITECTURES (IV) Long-term flexible architecture Space segment: 2 future satellites in full redundancy with both mission and safety communications payload. Optionally, satellite number 2 could only carry safety communications payload Corridor and steerable beams are used to accommodate UAV traffic density. Their orientation can be adjusted as needed. UAV traffic is shared between both satellites 1 satellite can cope with all the traffic needs Ground segment (GS): Minimum GS architecture: 2 active GES + 2 back-up GES (site redundancy) Support distributed architecture Robust to elements failure UAV RF BB I/F Satety comms Mission comms Satety comms Mission comms RF BB I/F Future Satellite 1 Future satellite 1 Mission comms Satety comms WAN Future satellite 2 Mission comms Safety comms Future Satellite 2 Satety comms Mission comms Mission comms Safety comms RF BB I/F UAV RF BB I/F 23

24 DRIVEN SYSTEM ARCHITECTURES (V) Long-term full coverage architecture Space segment: 2 future satellites in full redundancy (flexible architecture) + HEO constellation to fill the coverage gap in the northern regions such as the planned Canadian PCW constellation in Molnyia orbit Ground segment (GS): Minimum GS architecture: 4 GES for GEO satellites (flexible architecture configuration) + several GES for HEO satellites Coordination for satellites handovers (GEO to HEO) Distributed architecture is supported Robust to element failure Future Satellite 1 HEO constellation Future Satellite 2 24

25 TRADE-OFF CRITERIA Space segment: Coverage region System capacity and throughput Power User segment: Performance Power and weight Link performance: Link quality Link availability Security mechanisms Safety procedures System: Scalability Modularity Flexibility Growth potential Complexity Operational performance criteria: Reliability Redundancy Costs: Infrastructure (space, ground and user segment) Operation 25

26 CONCLUSIONS The synergy between satellite technologies and UAV technologies can substantially improve the UAS performances Reliable satellite data links can become a primary means of communications for UAS operations and cooperative missions, but also provide a back-up links for safety-of-flight communications Current available European and Canadian space segment assets have certain gaps to meet the future Long Endurance UAV requirements Development of future satellites with specific payloads devoted to support UAS communications are required to meet their requirements To meet UAS-satellite cooperative mission requirements identified as output of this project, safety requirements must be early demonstrated and validated for standardization purposes. UAS safe communication functions and operations based on satellite technologies, such as S&A, ATC communications, and UAS specific safe operations (take-off, landing, health monitoring,..) should be early simulated and demonstrated by developing emulators, first, and fly trial later. 26

27 Jordi Batlle Masferrer Phone: Indra Espacio, S.A. Telecommunication and Navigation Solutions Roc Boronat, Barcelona, SPAIN Daniel Cobo Vuilleumier Phone: Indra Sistemas, S.A. UAS/ISTAR Programmes Ctra. de Loeches Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid SPAIN Jaafar Cherkaoui jaafar.cherkaoui@mdacorporation.com Phone: ext MDA Space Missions Trans Canada Highway Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec Canada H9X 3R2 27