Airborne Internet

R.Praveenkumar
Department of Computer Applications
IFET College of Engineering
Villupuram
[email protected]

Abstract-The word on just about every

Internet

user's

lips

these

days

but without the time delay. The airborne

is

Internet will actually be used to compliment

"broadband." We have so much more data to

the satellite and ground-based networks, not

send and download today, including audio

replace them. These airborne networks will

files, video files and photos, that it's clogging

overcome

our wimpy modems. Many Internet users are

conventional Internet access options.

the

last-mile

barriers

facing

switching to cable modems and digital

This paper addresses some of the

subscriber lines (DSLs) to increase their

trends and issues involved in developing an

bandwidth. There's also a new type of service

Airborne Internet capable of achieving this

being developed that will take broadband

goal. Understanding relationships between

into the air. In this paper, we'll learn about

these trends and issues and the objectives and

the future of the Airborne Internet. We'll

functional requirements of the program will

take a look at the networks in development,

allow various participants in this complex

the aircraft and how consumers may use this

program

technology.

perspective. The all-round development and

Land-based

lines

are

limited

physically in how much data they can deliver

to

keep

activities

in

proper

improvement are the key areas of research

work performed in this paper.

because of the diameter of the cable or phone

line. In an airborne Internet, there is no such
physical limitation,

enabling

INTRODUCTION

broader

capacity.
The airborne Internet will function
much like satellite-based Internet access,

Airborne Internet is a private, secure

and

reliable

peer-to-peer

communications network that uses the

aircraft

same technology as the commercial Internet. It

reservations, travel arrangements. It is useful in

is an implementation which connects aircraft to

providing

a ground-based Internet access node, including

surrounding airspace environment and for

the information which is passed across this

aircraft-to-aircraft

communication link. It provides airborne access

security

to wealth of Internet information and resources.

It is convenient and has several uses like flight

the

information

about

weather,

communications.

applications

include

The
flight

tracking/deviation monitoring, in-flight video

monitoring, cockpit voice/video recording.

planning, en route
This Airborne Internet (A.I.) is an
approach to provide a general purpose, multi-

How

savings for aircraft operators as it allows the

consolidation of many functions into a common
data channel. A primary application for A.I. is
to track aircraft for the air traffic control system.
Many other applications can utilize the same
A.I. data channel. The applications available are

satellite

Internet

operate?

application data channel to aviation. In doing so,

A.I. has the potential to provide significant cost

does

How do you access the Internet other

than dial-up if you live too far from a phone
company office for DSL and there is no cable
TV on your street? Satellite Internet access may
be worth considering. It's ideal for rural Internet
users who want broadband access. Satellite
Internet does not use telephone lines or cable
systems, but instead uses a satellite dish for two-

only limited by the bandwidth available.

way
A.I. began as a supporting technology
for NASAs Small Aircraft Transportation
System (SATS). But there is no reason that A.I.
should be limited to SATS-class aircraft. All of
aviation, and even transportation, has the

(upload

and

download)

data

communications. Upload speed is about onetenth of the 500 kbps download speed. Cable
and DSL have higher download speeds, but
satellite systems are about 10 times faster than a
normal modem.

potential to benefit from A.I. The principle

behind the A.I. is to establish a robust, reliable,
and available digital data channel to aircraft.

Firms that offer or plan to offer twoway satellite Internet include StarBand, Pegasus
Express, Teledesic and Tachyon. Tachyon
service is available today in the United States,
Western Europe

and Mexico. Pegasus Express is the two-way

version of DirecPC.
Two-way satellite Internet consists of:

Coaxial
modem

cables

between

dish

and

The key installation planning requirement is a

clear view to the south, since the orbiting

How

Approximately a two-foot by three-foot

dish

satellites are over the equator area. And, like

Two modems (uplink and downlink)

reception of the Internet signals.

the Airborne Internet Will

satellite TV, trees and heavy rains can affect

that it's clogging our wimpy modems. Many Internet

users are switching to cable modems and digital

Work
The word on just about every Internet user's lips
these days is "broadband." We have so much more
data to send and download today, including audio

subscriber lines (DSLs) to increase their bandwidth.

There's also a new type of service being developed
that will take broadband into the air.

files, video files and photos,

Photo

courtesy
Technologies

Angel

This diagram shows how the HALO Network will enable a highspeed
wireless Internet connection
At least three companies are planning to

would use lightweight planes to circle overhead

provide high-speed wireless Internet connection

and provide data delivery faster than a T1 line

by placing aircraft in fixed patterns over

for

hundreds of cities. Angel Technologies is

connection comparable to DSL. Also, Aero

planning an airborne Internet network, called

Vironment has teamed up with NASA on a

High Altitude Long Operation (HALO), which

solar-powered, unmanned plane that would

businesses.

work like the

Consumers

would

get

HALO network, and Sky Station International is

look at the networks in development, the aircraft

planning a similar venture using blimps instead

and how consumers may use this technology at

of planes. Now well

their homes.

The Net Takes Flight

at several hundreds of miles above Earth. The

The computer most people use comes

with a standard 56K modem, which means that
in an ideal situation your computer would
downstream at a rate of 56 kilobits per second.
That speed is far too slow to handle the huge
streaming-video and music files that more
consumers are demanding today. That's where
the need for bigger bandwidth Broadband comes
in, allowing a greater amount of data to flow to
and from your computer. Land-based lines are
limited physically in how much data they can
deliver because of the diameter of the cable or
phone line. In an airborne Internet, there is no
such physical limitation, enabling a broader
capacity.

Several companies have already shown

that satellite Internet access can work. The

airborne-Internet aircraft will circle overhead at

an altitude of 52,000 to 69,000 feet (15,849 to
21,031 meters). At this altitude, the aircraft will
be undisturbed by inclement weather and flying
well above commercial air traffic.

Networks using high-altitude aircraft

will also have a cost advantage over satellites
because the aircraft can be deployed easily -they don't have to be launched into space.
However, the airborne Internet will actually be
used to compliment the satellite and groundbased networks, not replace them. These
airborne networks will overcome the last-mile
barriers facing conventional Internet access
options. The "last mile" refers to the fact that
access to high-speed cables still depends on
physical proximity, and that for this reason, not
everyone who wants access can have it. It would

airborne Internet will function much like

take a lot of time to provide universal access
satellite-based Internet access, but without the
time delay. Bandwidth of satellite and airborne
Internet access are typically the same, but it will
take less time for the airborne Internet to relay
data because it is not as high up. Satellites orbit

using cable or phone lines, just because of the

time it takes to install the wires. An airborne
network will immediately

overcome the last mile as soon as the aircraft

takes off.

based components to any type of airborne

Internet network. The consumers will have to
install an antenna on their home or business in

The

airborne

Internet

won't

be

order to receive signals from the network hub

completely wireless. There will be ground-

overhead.

The networks will also work with established

provide an infrastructure that can reach areas

Internet Service Providers (ISPs), who will

that don't have broadband cables and wires. In

provide their high-capacity terminals for use by

the next three sections, we will take a look at the

three aircraft that could be bringing you

the network. These ISPs have a fixed point of

broadband Internet access from the sky.

Presence -- their fiber optics are already set up.

What the airborne Internet will do is

Airborne-Internet systems will require that an antenna be attached to the side of your house or work
place.

Compare/Contrast to ground based internet:

IMPLEMENTATION SYSTEMS:
A HALO Overhead

The Angel Technologies is developing

centerpiece of this network is the Proteus plane,

an air borne internet network through its HALO

which will carry wireless

Network. The

networking equipment into the air.

Photo

courtesy
Technologies

Angel

The Proteus plane will carry the network hub for the HALO Network.

The Proteus plane, developed by Scaled

plane divided by its wing area. Proteus will fly

Composites is designed with long wings and the

at heights of 9.5 and 11.4 miles (15.3 and 18.3

low wing loading needed for extended high-

km) and cover an area up to 75 miles (120.7

altitude flight. Wing loading is equal to the

km) in diameter.

entire mass of the

Proteus Aircraft
9,000

pounds

at

takeoff

Weight
5,900 pounds empty
77

ft

inches

(23.7

m)

Wingspan
Expandable to 92 feet (28 m)
Length

56.3 ft (17.2 m)

Height

17.6 ft (5.4 m)
2

turbofan

engines

Engines
2,300 pounds of thrust
Range

18 hours
65

knots

(75

Speed
to 250 knots (288 mph/463.5 kph)

At the heart of Angel's Proteus plane is

the one-ton airborne-network hub, which allows
the plane to relay data signals from ground
stations to workplaces and homes. The AI
network hub consists of an antenna array and
electronics for wireless communication. The
antenna array creates hundreds of virtual cells,
like mobile-phone cells, on the ground to serve
thousands of users. An 18-foot dish underneath
the plane is responsible for reflecting high-speed
data signals from a ground station to your
computer. Each city in the HALO Network will
be allotted three piloted Proteus planes. Each

plane

mph/120.7

kph)

will fly for eight hours before the next plane

takes off and after takeoff it will climb to a safe
altitude, above any bad weather or commercial
traffic, and begin an 8-mile loop around the city.
Floating On Air

Sky Station International is counting on its

blimps,in the race to deliver high-speed Internet
access from high altitudes and
calls them as

lighter-than-air platforms,

and plans to station these airships,one over each

city. Each station would fly at an
altitude

of

13

miles

(21

km) and provide wireless service to an

(19,000 square km).

area of approximately 7,500 square miles

Sky Station Blimp
Diameter

203 ft (62 m)

Length

515 ft (157 m)

Width

approx. 300 ft (91 m)

Power

Solar and fuel cells

Each blimp will be equipped with a

telecommunications payload to provide wireless

connections of between 2 and 10 megabits per

second (Mbps).

broadband connections. The

blimps will be able to carrying payloads of up to

NASA's Sub-space Plans:

NASA is also playing a role in a

about 2,200 pounds (1,000 kg). Each blimp will

have a life span of about five to 10 years. Sky

potential airborne Internet system being

developed by AeroVironment.

Station says that its user

terminals

will

Phot
o

enable

broadband

courtesy

NASA

The Helios aircraft will be equipped

with telecommunications

equipment and stay airborne for six months straight.

Helios Aircraft
Weight

2,048 pounds (929 kg)

Wingspan

247 ft (75.3 m)

Length

12 ft (3.7 m)

Wing Area

1,976 square ft (183.6 m2)

14

brushless,

2-horsepower,

Propulsion
direct-current electric motors
1

to

hours

in

prototype

tests

Range
6 months when fully operational
Speed

19 to 25 mph (30.6 to 40.2 kph)

The Helios prototype is constructed out

of materials such as carbon fiber, graphite
epoxy, Kevlar and Styrofoam, covered with a

house the batteries, flight-control computers and

data

instrumentation.

Network

hubs

for

AeroVironment's telecommunications system

would likely be placed here as well.

thin, transparent skin. The main pole supporting

the wing is made out of carbon fiber, and is

It seems that airborne Internet could

thicker on the top than on the bottom in order to

take off in the very near future. If and when

absorb the constant bending during flight. The

those planes and blimps start circling to

wing's ribs are made of epoxy and carbon fiber.

supplement our current modes of connection,

Styrofoam comprises the wing's front edge, and

downloading the massive files we've come to

a clear, plastic film is wrapped around the entire

crave for entertainment or depend on for

wing body. The all-wing plane is divided into

business purposes will be a snap -- even if we

six sections, each 41 ft (12.5 m) long. A pod

live somewhere in that "last mile."

carrying the landing gear is attached under the

wing portion of each section. These pods also

Why all this detail?

alternative and arrive at a recommendation.

Then, working with other SATS organizations

The

rather

lengthy

and

detailed

we will refine the architecture and document it

explanation just provided is to illustrate how the

for use by system developers. Key elements of

use of IP can very dependably be relied on to

the

deliver network communications. Aircraft use of

evaluated to better understand their applicability

communication and navigation information

to SATS. Estimates of performance and cost

must be nearly real time, highly dependable and

will be made. A separate security assessment

it must have backup redundancy. IP has inherent

will be produced.

redundancy in its digital delivery system,

Conclusion:

architecture

will

be

prototyped

and

making it an excellent candidate for aircraft use.

Thus this airborne internet technology

The reason IP has never been used in an aircraft

has a wide range of utilities in the field of

context before is because until now there has not

aviation services like aircraft monitoring and air

been a method proposed to keep the aircraft

traffic management, weather information etc.,

connected to the network, so that the IP

and also provides an opportunity for the

connection is never lost. Now it is appropriate to

passengers to access the internet at very high

examine how aircraft currently operate so we

altitudes that is, in the aeroplanes and other

can draw both analogy and cite the differences

between present day aircraft networks and an
IP based aviation network (Airborne Internet).
Roadmap of future activities
We intend to continue applying the
methodology defined above to develop Airborne
Internet alternatives, analyze the advantages and
disadvantages of each

conventional services. Thus it is a further new

trend in this mobile world which is establishing
the connectivity by building network in the air.

References:

6. web.uwaterloo.ca/uwsearch.php?hl
=en&lr=&ie=UTF-

1. www.airborneinternet.org
8&q=related:www.aerosat.com
2. www.airborneinternet.com
7. ieeexplore.ieee.org/iel5/10432/331
3. airborneinternet.pbwiki.com
26/01559440.pdf?arnumber=15594
4. spacecom.grc.nasa.gov/icnsconf/do
8. www.datev.de/dpilexikon/ShowLe
cs//02_Session_A1
xikonContent.do?begriff=airbornei
5. acb100.tc.faa.gov/Briefing/Keegan
nternet&typ=buchstabe
9. www.tc.faa.gov/act4/hefence