A Communications-based Mission Planning Tool Concept for Low-cost Tactical UXV Operations
Abstract
New concepts for communications-based tactical decision aids, which can be used for low-cost tactical UXV operations, are investigated to provide input for future mission planning tools that could be developed for the Royal Canadian Navy. The proposed tactical decision aids provide information on where and when communications between a UXV and its base station will be effective and not effective as a function of the current and future environmental conditions. The required signal propagation calculations use data from an Environment Canada numerical weather prediction model and a terrain elevation database. A description is provided of the approach used to calculate the base quantities (signal-to-noise ratio, ratio of energy per bit to the spectral noise density, bit error rate) that are required to form the tactical decisions aids. Example tactical decision aids are calculated for a specific case to demonstrate how this information could be used for planning UXV routes. The example case clearly shows regions where communications are effective and not effective within a realistic environment. Experimental trials are required to test the hypothesis that the proposed method is capable of accurately now-casting and forecasting the times and places for which a UXV will have effective communication with its base station.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2014
- Accession Number
- AD1016925
Entities
People
- Alan D. Thomson
Organizations
- Defence Research and Development Canada