Small Unmanned Vehicle Systems, such as UAVs, can accomplish their missions using Digital Data Link (DDL) communications. For example, an unmanned aerial vehicle or UAV transmits via the DDL a large amount of data (video) to a ground controller, with a small amount of data being transmitted to the UAV. Since the unmanned vehicles are typically power constrained, the bulk of the DDL data, video data from the UAV, is transmitted by the power constrained UAV.
Moreover, it is critical that many of the DDL signals be real time. To control a remotely piloted vehicle, the operator receives, views, and mentally processes real time video, and then physically responds, i.e. moves a control stick, to transmit control signals to the vehicle, which are acted upon by the vehicle. It requires full motion real time data in both directions.
Traditional systems, WiMax, cellular phone, are optimized without regard to power constraints, and without regard to critical timing constraints based on the nature of the information within the signal. With traditional systems, for high quality video, time is not critical, so it is typically buffered, to take advantage of time gaps. In a UAV, such buffering is not possible due to the critical nature of the response to the video signal. With packet voice or video telephony, the data is heavily compressed, with lower data rates, and not full motion high quality real time data. With UAVs, however, the data needs to be transmitted to the operator quickly, when ready, and not buffered for when it is convenient for the medium or the protocol.
In addition, for UAVs, the DDL must satisfy a number of operational scenarios not present in traditional system.
What is needed are planned DDL services and features that enable aircraft and ground devices to fulfill their missions.