The overall objective of this project is to do the groundwork for a common wireless solution that can be used by the aerospace industry now that the WAIC protected spectrum is a reality.
The WAIC team is developing a set of system level requirements, protocol requirements, and recommendations aimed at accelerating the availability of WAIC enabled applications. The activity is a direct result of allocation of protected spectrum at the World Radio Conference in 2015 (WRC’15/16) that made use of wireless communications for safety-related applications feasible. The allocation became a reality due to efforts over the last five years of the AVSI project, Wireless Avionics Intra-Communications (WAIC).
Because safety-related avionics systems have stringent requirements for reliability, safety, determinism and design assurance , available COTS wireless technologies in their basic forms are likely not suitable for use in WAIC systems. The WAIC project team is investigating the possibility that existing COTS wireless components and protocols may, however, be successfully adapted for use in avionics applications operating in the protected spectrum band allocated to WAIC systems.
The study starts by identifying a set of aerospace requirements for WAIC systems leading to a set of “must-have” features to be included in WAIC systems. Commercial wireless systems, as well as wireless systems in other safety-related industries are then surveyed to determine to what degree the desired WAIC features may be found in existing wireless products.
Project results also define some common ground rules and strategies for WAIC systems. Topics addressed include:
- System boundaries where WAIC standards might be applied
- Plans for how WAIC spectrum usage might be assigned to ensure that is it used in an efficient manner
- A channel allocation and channel spacing scheme for WAIC systems
- Methods for achieving coexistence between WAIC systems installed on different aircraft
- A road map for the implementation of WAIC components and systems
The WAIC team is developing a set of protocol and hardware requirements for WAIC systems and recommendations as to whether existing wireless products can be adapted to meet the needs of WAIC systems, or if entirely new wireless products need to be developed for WAIC.
