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Presented by Roee Kashi, Co-founder and CTO, Elsight
The core concept of network interoperability is enabling flexibility and integration across diverse UAV platforms. It requires standardization and modularity, allowing components to be seamlessly used across multiple UAV types and vendors while ensuring compatibility, redundancy, and scalability across various operations.
C2 (Command, Control, and Intelligence) Interoperability Challenges
The challenge in interoperability is balancing standardization with flexibility and performance. For example, NATO’s Link 22 offers a standardized BVLOS (Beyond Visual-Line-Of-Sight) protocol, but it is costly, bulky, and bandwidth-limited, making it unsuitable for commercial use. A key consideration for ensuring interoperability is maintaining compatibility while preserving enhancements not part of the protocol.
Operating multi-UAV types requires interoperability across diverse connectivity and messaging protocols within a swarm. Each UAV may have a different mission, yet it must function as a cohesive hive mind. A key aspect is normalizing communication across UAVs using different networks (P-T-P, satellite, LTE, or 5G) while ensuring a single ground control station (GCS) can manage them all seamlessly.
C2I systems must be capable of controlling various UAV types across different missions, ensuring operational redundancy and enabling handoffs between local GCS and remote operations centers. Achieving this requires interoperability among GCS, vendors, and connectivity protocols while balancing flexibility, cost, and inherent advantages.
Interoperability Add-On
Drones with proprietary communication systems lack interoperability by design and face challenges in maintaining connection confidence throughout a mission. Disruptions such as radio interference, electromagnetic interference (EMI), LOS restrictions, or jamming can compromise communication, limiting operational reliability.
A logical connectivity layer ensures continuous, secure, and resilient NLOS/BVLOS communication by utilizing multiple networks across the entire available spectrum. It enables seamless handoffs between communication paths, enhances transmission flexibility and bandwidth, and adds an encryption layer for security. Additionally, it supports rapid NLOS/BVLOS deployment via existing cellular networks or Link 22, ensuring UAVs remain connected in dynamic and challenging environments.
The Benefits of NLOS/BVLOS Operations
Operating UAVs Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) or in Non-Line of Sight (NLOS) conditions unlocks new levels of efficiency, safety and situational awareness. By leveraging BVLOS connectivity solutions, UAVs can extend their range, maintain seamless communication, and operate in challenging environments without direct human oversight. This capability enables quick deployment and ensures continuous control even in remote or obstructed areas.
- UAVs can maneuver non-line-of-sight extended areas without loss of communications
- Quick deployment utilizing commercial networks
- A safer and risk-free remote operation while maintaining complete control
- Seamless handoff from local GCS to remote headquarters
- Signal heatmap for better mission path planning, avoiding connectivity dead zones
- Remote, centralized, and synchronized upgrades, monitoring, and network policy updates for fleets.
Watch the full webinar by clicking here.
FAQs
1. What is network interoperability, and why does it matter for C2 connectivity of UAVs?
Network interoperability enables flexibility and integration across diverse UAV platforms, communication systems, and vendors. It relies on standardization and modularity, allowing components and networks to be seamlessly used across multiple UAV types while ensuring compatibility, redundancy, and scalability. For command and control (C2), interoperability improves operational resilience by enabling UAVs to maintain communications across different networks and technologies, reducing dependence on any single communication system and supporting more reliable BVLOS and NLOS operations.
2. Which communication protocols and networks does the Halo solution support?
The Halo solution is designed to operate across multiple communication technologies, including LTE, 5G, mesh, Wi-Fi, satellite, and tactical communication networks. It enables interoperability between different network types while supporting secure transmission of command and control, telemetry, video, and mission data across available communication channels.
3. How does the interoperability add-on maintain secure, resilient connectivity during jamming, EMI, or LOS loss?
The Halo communication module combines multilink connectivity architecture with secure transmission using AES-256-CBC encryption and VPN tunneling. Packet-level distribution across multiple communication paths further protects operational data and communications. If one network is degraded due to jamming, electromagnetic interference (EMI), or congestion, traffic is dynamically rerouted through available alternative links.
4. What are the integration requirements for existing UAVs?
Halo is designed as a low-SWaP embedded module for integration with a wide range of commercial and industrial UAV platforms, enabling continuous connectivity without compromising endurance, payload capacity, or power budget. The compact, 93-gram, palm-sized hardware has low power consumption and integrates via standard interfaces into the drone’s communication stack. It supports multiple SIMs and RF inputs, enabling multi-network bonding without significantly impacting payload or flight time.
5. What regulatory or certification considerations are there for operating BVLOS/NLOS using this solution?
BVLOS and NLOS operations typically require regulatory approval based on communication reliability, operational safety, risk mitigation, and command and control performance. Regulators often evaluate redundancy, failover capabilities, cybersecurity protections, and operational procedures as part of the approval process. The Halo solution supports these requirements by providing resilient, secure, and interoperable communications designed for advanced BVLOS and NLOS operations.
