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Communications Infrastructure UAVs

Long-endurance, solar-powered aircraft can provide critical infrastructure on a widespread basis.

Kraus Hamdani Aerospace,
Emeryville, CA
krausaerospace.com

Provisioning reliable communications on a worldwide basis is a priority for every telecommunication organization. Satellite infrastructure forms a backbone for long-distance communications, and ground infrastructure enables last-mile systems that reach our mobile phones. However, terrestrial equipment is vulnerable in many regards, and space assets and satellites can be taken down in the blink of an eye in peer-to-peer adversarial conflict or by the smallest space debris.

The single points of failure in our communications infrastructure can be addressed by deploying aerial assets provisioning reliable communications capabilities. These resources can be used over long distances, while providing persistent overhead surveillance services and geospatial data. To guarantee reliable communications, it’s imperative to provide seamless airborne communication nodes that can mitigate some of the vulnerabilities of our global infrastructure. An electric aircraft capable of recharging itself in flight enables nonstop communications to provide true beyond-line-of-sight communications in difficult radio-frequency environments.

Airborne-provisioned communications – especially those with the ability to persistently remain in the air and operate a bridged interoperable backbone – enhances information-sharing. In high-chaos environments such as armed conflict or in the immediate aftermath of a natural or man-made disaster, these strategies and tactics can ensure seamless communications at crucial moments. To wit: one of Russia’s first actions against Ukraine was to disable its communications infrastructure, rendering much of Ukraine without access to communications. A rapidly deployable and cost-efficient group of nonstop aerial unmanned systems could have provided a persistent airborne communication infrastructure, ensuring uninterrupted sharing of data within multi-level classification/security environments.

Additionally, access to wireless capabilities such as 4G/LTE and 5G is extremely critical during times of emergencies. This allows authorities to coordinate emergency services when needed and allows the general public to continue to communicate with each other. Bridging telecommunication/cellular infrastructure to provide alternate cellular networks or expand Tier-1 telecommunication networks (i.e. Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, other) assures communications are never lost. The industry also needs to continue evolving precision electronic beamforming/beam steering technology that many modern radio systems lack.

One solution being proposed by Kraus Hamdani Aerospace is the K1000ULE, a large, long-endurance aircraft that harness the power of nature to fuel themselves while providing critical infrastructure on a widespread basis. These aircraft do not rely on depletable energy sources, don't need to be positioned in space, and require no ground terminals to safeguard communications globally. Further, they are capable of providing a resilient inter-vendor, mesh-based communications infrastructure that provides over-the-horizon networks that are self-aware and can cover large areas beyond line-of-sight. These on-the-move capabilities offer secure IP-based information exchange and bridge radio networks that were not previously interoperable.

For more information, contact Kraus Hamdani Aerospace at 678-561-7207 or visit here  .

Topics:
Aerospace Aircraft Communications Defense Off-board energy sources Solar energy Telecommunications Telecommunications systems Unmanned Air Vehicles/Systems (UAV/UAS) Unmanned aerial vehicles Vehicles

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    This article first appeared in the May, 2022 issue of Aerospace & Defense Technology Magazine (Vol. 7 No. 3).

    Read more articles from this issue here.

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