Reduced separations and improved efficiency based on Vhf cOmmunICations over LEO satEllites

Project Information

VLD2 - VOICE

Grant agreement ID: 101017688

DOI

10.3030/101017688

Project closed

EC signature date 18 December 2020

Start date 1 January 2021

End date 30 June 2023

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Smart, Green And Integrated Transport

Total cost

€ 5 905 551,88

EU contribution

€ 3 989 808,07

Coordinated by

INDRA SISTEMAS SA
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 3 - VLD2 - VOICE (Reduced separations and improved efficiency based on Vhf cOmmunICations over LEO satEllites)

Reporting period: 2023-01-01 to 2023-06-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

In airspaces where traffic leaves continental airspace entering oceanic one, there is a dramatic decrease of capacity. This is because the usual CNS ground-based infrastructure existing in the continental area disappears or terribly diminishes in the Oceanic area, leading to establishing bigger separation amongst aircraft over oceanic airspace than over the continental one for the sake of safety.

The main objective of VLD2 – VOICE is to demonstrate the operational use of voice and data VHF communications, complemented by ADS-B surveillance, in oceanic and terrestrial Canarias and Cape Verde airspaces.

The objective of VLD2 – VOICE project is to demonstrate the feasibility of the ground segment as an enabler of the space-based VHF communications in the oceanic airspace. With the use of satellite-based VHF systems providing voice and data link ATS, traffic in oceanic and remote airspace can be handled as in a continental one, and current separation could be reduced without compromising safety. In addition, VOICE project also demonstrates tecnical viability of cross-border operations between adjacent FIRs belonging to different countries.

To demonstrate the feasibility of the full concept, the following segments are involved: ground, space and airborne. The ground segment has been developed and validated within the VOICE scope, reaching a TRL7 at the end of the project.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

In relation with the voice service, the project has demonstrated its potential to be used in remote areas, as means of delegation/contingency and as a back-up frequency. Voice radio communication sessions were stablished in all the tests performed using the VOICE platform equipment. Voice radio communications was successfully exchanged between ANSPs in different FIR regions, ASA and ENAIRE and then transmitted using the HAPS equipment.

Controllers and flight crew indicated that the audio quality was satisfactory in the test performed.

In relation to the data service, Data communication sessions were established, maintained, and closed in all the tests performed using the VOICE platform equipment. The feasibility of space-based VHF data service in laboratory conditions include use of the Doppler pre-compensation feature.

The data communication has been established between the avionics of operating aircraft and a simulated ground end system, for both FANS and ATN, enabling the exchange of CPDLC messages from the controller to the pilot and vice versa.

In relation to the ADS-B service, the service was fully integrated among all the platform segments: air, space and ground. The service was as well integrated with the internal network of an ANSP, being capable of displaying information in a CWP. Technical parameters are with in standard expectations.


The communication and dissemination activities include:

Social Media: 167 tweets on VLD2 VOICE Twitter and 117 posts on VLD2 VOICE LinkedIn. Website content was also shared on these platforms. On Youtube platform there is a recorded workshop.
Website: The project had its own website (https://www.voicesesar.com/) including information about the project, the use cases, the impact, the participation in events and workshops and one brochure. News published: 6 news.
News on SJU website: 2 news.
Articles: 1 article published on Uniting Aviation (ICAO TV) about the quick-win technology that can enhance oceanic airspace safety.
Newsletters: 2 newsletters produced by Indra and published on VOICE website and SJU website.
Events: presentation at World ATM Congress 2021 about transforming CNS services from ground to space at Aireon Spotlight Stage.
Workshops: 1 organized by Indra 1st VOICE Workshop online: How new space satellites can make ATM more efficient.
Video: Workshop recorded and published on Youtube.
Webinars: VOICE has participated in 9 webinars organized by ICAO and EUROCONTROL related to CNS services for ATM and satellite-based VHF communications.
Brochures: 1 designed by Indra including a project overview.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

VOICE project is focused on the design, development, deployment, testing and demonstration of the Ground Segment platform. The project was informed in 2022 that Space Segment expected to be used in the demonstration, as an external dependency, had been changed. Initially a LEO satellite complemented by a HAPS (using the same payload as the satellite) were going to be used. After this change, only HAPS technology was expected to be used. As the previous space segment, HAPS was not managed by VOICE.

The achieved technological demonstration enables a subsequent operational demonstration, aiming to provide evidence of the feasibility of separation minima reduction in oceanic and remote areas.

This initiative demonstrates the feasibility of space-based VHF communications operations, providing relevant results and insights for the provision of communications service in future constellations within the New Space concept. This satellite-based service could lead to benefits such as global VHF communications coverage. This could provide increased additional capacity, making available VHF voice and data communications in regions currently under or not served, such as oceanic and remote areas, without any change in the avionics equipment. This would enable more efficient routes and a reduction in CO2 emissions, improving cost efficiency and the environmental impact of air traffic without compromising safety.

VOICE Web

VOICE contextual architecture diagram

VOICE Partners

VOICE Use Cases

VOICE LOGO