Communication Demands and Performance Metrics for Next Generation Aerial Networks

Technological progress and economic interest are paving the way toward a more densified airspace. Seen as a technical system composed of air vehicles, traffic control, and service providers, the airspace is expected to evolve significantly toward a more digitalized and autonomous version of its current self. In such a future system, connectivity plays a key role, and needs to be dependable and secure. Regulation bodies have already defined a set of requirements, called required communication performance (RCP), against which communication links must be benchmarked. However, these are not well aligned with typically used communication performance metrics. In this article, we give an overview of technical demands originating from novel use cases and requirements put forward by airspace regulation bodies. We discuss the mismatch toward technical performance measures and propose a way to formally transfer RCP into more “communication-friendly” demands. We show with measurements that current technology is not ready to support the high demands of the aerospace industry yet and highlight technological ways forward that could close this gap.