Networked Micro-Radios for Micro-UAVs

In this proposed effort, Efficient Channel Coding (ECC) will validate various technologies and concepts for xSTREAM (eXtreme Streaming Transmitter-Receiver for Enhanced Application Micro-UAVs). xSTREAM is ECC's approach to enabling a self-contained, wireless, mobile, ad-hoc, power efficient communications for the US Army's Future Combat System Class II Micro-UAVs. The xSTREAM transceiver consists of a receiver for command and control and a transmitter for streaming of image, telemetry and other sensor data. The xSTREAM architecture is designed to be compatible within the architecture of the Joint Tactical Radio Systems (JTRS). The air interface waveforms will be based on the JTRS Wideband Networking Waveform (WNW) Low Probability of Intercept (LPI), Low Probability of Detection (LPD), and Antijam (AJ) waveforms. Extensions to these WNW Signals in Space (SiS), framing, and Medium Access Control (MAC) are provided to enable adaptive operation in a variable data rate and variable link conditions. Also, approaches to matching the variable data rate with variable rate image compression, header compression, and storage/playback will be investigated. Additionally, an onboard micro-network to provide a network from variable sensors and command interfaces will be developed. Finally, implementation techniques using the latest low-power programmable DSP and ASIC technologies will be applied to providing and miniature form-factor will be investigated. The result of the Phase I SBIR will be a conceptual design and hardware architecture for xSTREAM that can be prototyped in a Phase II SBIR.