UAV COMMUNICATIONS PAYLOAD DEVELOPMENT

MAJ Frank Pinkney

U.S. Army CECOM
Fort M o m o W NJ

Mr. Dan Hampel and Mr. Stef DiPierro

BooZAllen and Hamilton
Eatontown, New Jersey

Mr. Brian S . Abbe and Mr. Michael Sheha

Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Pasadena,California

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

The Army Communications Electronics Command
(CECOM) Space & Terreshial Communications
Directorate (S&TCD) is conductmg a multi-year airbome
communications range extension program, primarily in
support of the Battlefield Information Transmission
System (BITS) initiative. As part ofthis program the Jet
Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is m d y under contract
to CECOM to design and develop a payload as an
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) based communications
relay package to operate with the Army's High Capacrty
Trunk Radios (HCTR's) for test, evaluation and
demonstrations. The basic functon of this payload is to
simultaneously relay Ml-duplex communication links to
and from ground-based HCTR's. The maximum data
rate that will be supported across these fullduplex links
is 45 Mbps over a range up to 100 miles. Multiple full-
duplex communication links can be supported by this
UAV payload at the penalty of reduced communication
range and/or reduced data rate throughput for each link.
In addition to this fullduplex communications c a p a b w ,
a broadcast communication adjunct (at data rates up to
T1) will also be provided. This secondary capability will
utilize the identical uplink subsystem as the fullduplex
payload but will use an S-band downlink package for
broadcast to a small, hand-held, omnidirectional antenna
based receiver.
This paper provides a description of the payload and its
control system development as well as its potential for its
use within an airbome communications node. Also a
testbed will be described which includes a C-12 airplane
that will be used for the validation and evaluation of this
and other payloads developed for UAVs.
CECOM S&TCD initiated a multi-year airborne
communications range extension program to meet BITS
requirements in the first quarter of FY'95. Surveys were
conducted, payloads and associated ground tenninal
equipments were defined and testbed and test platform
approaches were selected to validate and demonstrate
payload operation prior to intrgration with UAVs. The
CECOM airbome relay applications and payloads are
designed to be compatible with the Predator and Global
Hawk UAVs. Ultimately it is anticipated that the
payloads will contribute to the DARPA Airborne
CommunicationsNode (ACN) program which is planned
to also include transponders for relaying VHF and UHF
radio transmissions and for providmg voice and data
service to hand-held terminals.
Planned demonstrations are aimed at supporting decisions
on the production and fieldmg of airbome relays and
surrogate satellites. In addition to determining the
capabilities and limitations of airborne (specifically UAV
based) relays and communications packages, the program
will validate the performance of wideband airborne relay
links, testing the effects of multipath, various antenna
configurations, coverage and elevation angles and the
performance of multi-band transponder payloads. The
initial demonstrations are planned for JWID '98 with a
full end-to-end implementation in JWID '99.
The HCTR relay application is intended to provide up to
45 Mbps full duplex capability between Radio Access
Points (RAPS) at X-band. The RAP will utilize a multi-
beam phased array ant" that will be capable of
providmg range extension capability via the airborne

0-7803-4249-61971$10.0Q 0 1997 IEEE

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relay. The airborne Battlefield Broadcast application will
provide data distribution at rates from 800 to 1500 Kbps
to disadvantaged receivers, i.e.; small receivers with
omni-directional antennas.
The CECOM applications are depicted in Figure1
showing major elements and interfaces for the wideband
X-band link and the battlefield broadcast S-band lmk.
The HCTR is located at a Ra&o Access Point (RAP)
which serves as a collection and distribution point for a
number of end-user radio subscribers. The RAP will be
able to maintain simultaneous LOS llnks with other
RAPS, and when necessary, connect to other RAPS via
the airborne relay. The antenna tracking will allow for
communications-on-the-move through the relay.
The Battlefield Broadcast application will permit the in-
theater distribution of data under the direct control of the
local commander. This concept allows small terminals
with omni-directional antennas to receive data and
imagery at rates up to T1 whde on-the-move. l k s
broadcast can be comprised of locally generated data
exclusively, or a combination of local and satellite-based
GBS channels multiplexed at the theater up-link site.
While the Battlefield Broadcast utilizes the X-band relay
as an uplink, its design readdy supports modification to
allow other on-board systems to provide that feed.
This payload design has presented many challenges
including the development of a unique and compact
antenna design that not only is specified for high power
ECF transmissions but also has an antenna gain pattern to
help equalize communication link performance along look
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angles anywhere in a 165 degree cone. Other challenges
included its low noise amplifier (LNA) design
(narrowband with power limitmg circuitry), high rejection
out-of-band filtering characteristics, the high power
amplifier and small size and weight.
Whde a number of airborne vehcles can serve as
platforms for CECOM’s ange extension program, the
target platform is the Global Hawk. CECOM was a
major participant m DARPA’s Airborne Communications
Node (ACN) study program during the summer of 1995
which outlined multiple range extension services
mcluding the applications being developed by CECOM.
Other platforms being considered such as the Predator
can meet near term needs and will be suitable for limited
application. Also, vehicles such as the Aurora Perseus
can provide significant functionality in the areas of
payload capacity, altitude and range and may be used to
demonstrate the CECOM payload capability in 1997
under a Cooperatwe Research and Development
Agreement (CRDA) with Orbital Sciences/Aurora.
Implementing range extension payloads on alternative
vehcles will provide an opportunity for operational
experience and techcal refinements in advance of the
Global Hawk, and demonstrate a degree of platform
flexibility.
CAPABILITY
The primary function of the CECOM airborne relay is to
provide beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) communications
capability to wideband radios, and addhonally to provide
a surrogate broadcast system. It is conceivable that these
services will be provided simultaneously with other
applications (such as Airborne PCS) from the same
platform. The area of coverage will be fully illuminated,
i.e.; the use of spot beams from the UAV to particular
ground ternunals are not anticipated. This implies the use
of wide beam type antennas on the UAV. Ideally, the
relay will use antennas designed to provide uniform
power density across the coverage area. Thts would
eliminate the need for ground power control and reduce
the impact of additional path loss at the greater distances
resulting from terrain blockages and multipath.
The range or area of coverage afforded by an airborne
platform is a function of its altitude, and the elevation or
look angle of the transmitters or receivers. Table 1
summarizes values for typical UAVs (or manned aircraft
flying at equivalent altitudes). It can be seen that to get
meamngful coverage area, very low elevation angles, on
the order of 5 degrees must be used. The diameter of
coverage and elevation angle can be traded off dependmg
on the frequency band of use, the environment, and
particularly the foliage. The greater flexibihty of the high
altitude platform w ill permit higher look angles for a
given area of coverage, andor lower gain antennas on the
platform and temmals. Complete and uniform area
coverage could be achieved by an antenna on the airbome
relay with a wide (approachmg 165 degrees) beam
pattem appro*- a csc’ shape. Enhan-ent may be
possible by stabilizing the antenna on the UAV to
compensate for maneuvenng and ensure downward
pointing at all times. Attenuation resulting from foliage
will severely limit the effectiveness of the lower altitude
UAVs, particulaxly at higher microwave frequencies. For
initial planned demonstration, a terminal to UAV
separation range of 50 miles is assumed, which yields a
footprint diameter of approximately 100 miles.
TABLE 1 Range Relationships
PAYLOAD SPECIFICATIONSAND
REQUIREMENTS
One of the major goals in the design and development of
the U.S. Army CECOM’s UAV-based communications
relay payload was to provide as much flexibility as
possible without sacrificing its basic h c t i o n a l Q for
meetmg requirements. Designs for this payload are for
operational compatibihty with CECOM’s HCTR, as
previously mentioned. However, the current design will
not preclude operations with other ground-based
terminals or even extensions to provide on-board,
baseband processing. Consideration was also given to
having this payload capable of installation on a wide
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range and variety of manned and unmanned aerial
platforms.
The most important specifications and considerations to
support platform f l e x i b w are power, size, and weight.
Keeping this payload as small, compact, lightweight,and
low power as possible was considered to be of the utmost
importance for this design. Nominal power, weight, and
size specifications for this payload are provided in Table
2. In actualw, the payload that has been developed
exceeds these initial specificatiohs.
I Specification I Value 1
Power 1000 Watts
Weight 100 pounds
Payload Size 22 in. x 19 in. x 18 in.
Antenna Size 5 in. (height),
I I 12 in. (base diameter) I
Table 2 Power, Weight, and Size Specifications
While the S-band payload portion has not yet been
finalized, the total (X and S band) power and weight
values are projected at approxjmately 850 Watts and 85
pounds. Other pertinent high level payload specifications
are provide in Table 3.
Specification Value
T x k Frequency 7.25-7.7517.90-8.40
of Operation GHZ
operational -40 to +40-C
Temperature Range
operational sea level to
Pressure Range 25,000 feet altitude
Table 3 Frequency and Environmental Specifications
In designing this comunications payload to be as
flexible as possible, i.e., work with a variety of different
ground terminal equipment, certain basic design strategies
were implemented. Of particular note, is the choice of
frequency conversion implementation, block conversion,
versus a more traditional “channeli~ation’~ scheme. The
block conversion scheme provides maximum ground
terminal use and flexibility. The user on the ground can
setup a frequency coordination scheme without regard or
knowledge of any in-band filtering or “channelizing.”
The tradeoff for this design can be seen in the
consideration for multiple signals through this payload.
With a “channelized” design, indwidual signals may be
isolated in different parts of the operational spectra.
However, with the block conversion configuration, the
payload must be designed highly linear to minimize any
in-band or even out-of-band intermodulation products and
other types of non-linear dstortions that potentially could
be present. For t h s reason, all of the active devices (i.e.,
amplifiers) in t h s payload design have been specified to
operation well below (6 dB or more) their respective
saturation points.
PAYLOAD DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION
A hgh level block diagram of t h ~ scommunications relay
payload is provided in Figure 2. It includes the followmg
subsystem components: (1) receive antenna, (2) low
noise amplifier (LNA), (3) X-band frequency translator
(full-duplex capability), (4) S-band frequency translator
(broadcast applications), (5) traveling wave tube
amplifier (TWTA) (X-band), (6) isolator (X-band), (7)
power amplifier (S-band), (8) transmit filter (X-band),
(9) transmit antenna (X-band), and (10) transmit filter ( S -
band).
Figure 2 Communications Relay Payload Block Diagram
The receive frequency band (uplink) for both the full-
duplex and broadcast applications is 7.90 GHZ to 8.40
GHz. The receive antenna has been designed to be right
hand circularly (RHC) polarized. This 500 MHz receive
bandwidth can be used for supporting Ml-duplex 45
Mbps communication link between two HCTR ground-
based terminals at communication ranges up to 100
miles. Alternatively, multiple full-duplex communication
links may also be established with a penalty of either
reduced data rate capability or shorter communication
ranges. In addition to these communication lmks,
provisions have been made for an in-band low data rate
(2.4 kbps) control circuit for the payload subsystem
components.
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The downlink transmit frequency band is 7.25 to 7.75
GHz. The transmit antenna has been designed to be left
hand circularly (LHC) polarized to provide adddonal
isolation from the receive payload communications chain.
A low data rate (2.4 kbps) telemetry signal is also present
on t h s downlink. This signal provides information on the
aircraft position as well as the status and health of the
subsystem components that make up this payload (i.e,
TWTA output power level). The broadcast application
for this payload will utilize a subset of the uplmk
frequency band (7.95 to 8.00 GHz). This frequency band
is translated into the following downllnk band: 2.31-
2.36 GHz.
A lmk budget analysis for the full-duplex, 45 Mbps, 100
mile communication range indicates operability with the
following payload parameters:
Payload transmit power 22.5 watts
Payload EIRP 10.4 dBW
Payload receiver G/T -2 1 dBldeg. K
A listing of the key components and their accompanymg
specifications is provided in Table 4.
r handling at 25,000
Table 4 State of the Art Component Developments
These specifications resulted in new customized designs.
Of particular note is the UAV payload antenna design
which provides a weighted elevation gain pattern favoring
towards-the-horizon communications. This antenna
design will also aid in near-far power sharing of multiple
ground terminals. A depiction of thls antenna's elevation
pattern is provided Figure 3 below. The antenna(s)- one
each for transmit and receive- devleoped by Seavey Eng.
Assoc., are bifilar helical type consisting of two helical
elements located at 180 deg. apart 6om each other, and
fed with equal amplitude and anti-phase. The antenna
size is 4 inches long and 0.75 inches in diameter including
a radome cap.
$0'
ELNATION ANTENNAPATTERN
Figure 3 X-band Antenna Elevation Pattern
FLIGHT TEST/ DEMONSTRATION PLATFORM
An Army C-12C twin turboprop fixed w e d aircraft
has been assigned to CECOM for the Awbome Relay
program. The aircraft is operated by CECOM's Army
Airborne Engineering Evaluation and Support Branch
(AEESB) located at the Naval Air Engineering Center,
Lakehurst, NJ. Typically the aircraft will operate at
20,OOOft and at a speed of approximately 250 mph. As
part of t h ~ testbed,
s a UHF relay has been installed on the
C-12 as part of an end-to-end coordination circuit. The
airplane and the layout of the equipment racks is shown
in Figure 5 .
In addition to the UHF relay/coordination circuit on-
board equipment includes a spectrum analyzer,
oscilloscope, printer, GPS receiver, and a
communications control panel. The pilots and equipment
operator are interconnected to the UHF relay. The
communications control panel provides selection of
communications modes and settings including crew to
pilots intercommunication and voice or data
comunications/retrannsr"ision with the ground
terminals. Additional equipment may be added as
required
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Three UHF antennas are used for the UHF voice/data
orderwire and two X-band antennas are used for the
wideband transponder located directly beneath the X-
band transponder's TWTA transmitter ( to prevent
excessive RF power loss due to RF transmission media
attenuation), along with an S-band for the battlefield
broadcast function. A GPS antenna will be placed on the
upper fuselage.
Figure 5 C-12 Axplane Testbed
SUMMARY
krbome communications relay payloads are being
developed by CECOM for range extension of wideband
hgh capacity trunk radios and for battlefield broadcast.
The wideband relay will operate in X-band and will have
the capability of supporting a full duplex 45 mbps link
with ground segments deployed up to 100 miles away
from the airborne platform. The battlefield broadcast
will provide rates up to 1.5 mbps, in S-band, to user
terrninals with omni-directional antennas.
The dual band payload has a modular design for use with
a variety of platforms. Significant reduction in the size,
power and weight requirements of 4 cu. ft., 1000 W, and
100 pounds respectively, were realized. Stringent
transponder requirements and design challenges were met
to acheve electrical performance in the areas of the X-
band transmitter efficiency and linearity, LNA, filters and
antennas with shaped elevation gain patterns. A versatile
airborne communications relay testbed using a C-12C
airplane is being implemented to evaluate payloads in
support of range extension with .UAVs.