Aircraft safety-critical communications are currently supported using legacy systems such as VHF, HF and authorised L-band satellite systems operating within dedicated and protected spectrum bands. In parallel, non-safety commercial communication systems relying, for instance, on public cellular network like 4G (soon 5G) or commercial Ku/Ka band satellite communication services, are increasingly used on aircraft for passenger internet browsing or pilot-airline interactions. These systems benefit from technological advances in the public wireless telecommunication markets, evolving toward enhanced and cheaper services, unlike legacy aviation communications.

Current aircraft safety-critical communication systems support current needs, but face constraints, and future replacement systems risk being unsuitable or too late to support unforeseen shorter-term safety-related disruptive aircraft operations. SESAR is exploring the integration of public network services and commercial radio links to develop a hybrid open/protected ‘hyper connected’ communications infrastructure for air/ground and air/air data to support future ATM and U-space operations.

The hyper connected ATM concept assumes that it will become acceptable and beneficial to use public non-safety commercial communication systems as a component of aircraft safety communications. This candidate solution aims to develop a concept of operations, identify use cases, capture high level requirements, and assess options of architecture to integrate commercial public network services into the future communications infrastructure (FCI).

BENEFITS

Increased cost efficiency

Enhanced capacity

Enhanced resilience

Improved interoperability

Enhanced flexibility