Innovative Methods for Increasing Data Link Capability

Growth in ISR Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) missions and increasing demand for RF bandwidth are impacting current data link capabilities. The problem trends worse over the next few years as more bandwidth intensive and complex ISR systems are deployed to support the increasing mission of UAS. To ensure rapid transition to CDL and existing platforms already stretched for in-theater missions, a non-intrusive software approach is required that works within the existing framework. Shared Spectrum Company builds on our adaptive software used in DARPA XG program to adapt improve link budget, data throughput and reliability by adapting the waveform to the best frequency within existing allocation to ensure best data link budget for video and data service quality. To expedite transition to the field, SSC is teamed with L-3 Communications West. BENEFIT: The Cognitive UAS Data Link will provide significant capacity and reliability communication system improvements. This will greatly improve the military value of UAVs because of the increased data per UAV and because of the additional number of UAVs that can be supported within a certain amount of spectrum.