Airborne Internet

Seminar report

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

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1. INTRODUCTION

Airborne Internet is a concept that overlays computer network theory and

principles into the transportation realm. The goal is to create information
connectivity by providing a general purpose, multi-application data channel for
people in transit. It is an approach to provide a general purpose high speed
digital network to aviation. In doing so it has the potential to provide
significant cost savings for aircrafts operators and the FAA, as it allows the
consolidation of many functions into a common data channel. Numerous
applications can use the same data channel. It gets its name from the fact that it
works like the real internet.

Airborne Internet began as a supporting technology for

NASA’s Small Aircrafts Transportation System. But there is no reason that A.I
should be limited to SATS-class aircraft. All of aviation, and even
transportation, has the potential to benefit from A.I. Airborne Internet
provide a general purpose data channel that numerous applications can use. By
combining application and data functionality over a common data channel,
aviation has the potential to significantly reduce costs for equipage on the ground
and in the aircraft.

The demand for Internet services is exploding and this creates a strong
demand for broadband, high data rate service. It is expected that there will soon
be a worldwide demand for Internet service in the hundreds of millions. The

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growth in use of the World Wide Web and electronic commerce will stimulate
demand for broadband services.

Airborne Internet is able to provide aircraft to ground, ground to ground and

aircraft to aircraft communications in support of air traffic management, fleet
operations, and passenger support services. Air transport aircraft could not only
use A.I. for their own purposes, but they could provide a network router
function that could sell excess bandwidth to other less bandwidth-demanding
aircraft. This network in the sky not only reduces equipage and saves system
costs, it could create a revenue stream for air carriers that does not currently
exist. Many other applications can utilize the same A.I. data channel. The
applications available are only limited by the bandwidth available.

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CHAPTER 2

THE WORLD OF
AIRBORNE INTERNET

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2. WORLD OF AIRBORNE INTERNET

2.1 WHY AIRBORNE INTERNET?

There are mainly two reasons for the development of Airborne Internet.
They are,

2.1.1 SMALL AIRCRAFTS TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM:

The first reason for the development of A.I is SATS. It began as a

supporting technology for the NASA’s SATS. NASA is creating an
infrastructure for fleets of small aircraft. People won’t have to fly between large
cities on jet airliners. Instead, they will be able to fly themselves right to where
they want to go. This would speed up air travel. But, it would need a major
change in air traffic control to be able to manage thousands of small airplanes
filling the skies. That’s where the “Airborne Internet” comes in. This project is
being developed along with the Small Aircraft Transportation System (SATS).
The SATS is studying the possibility of a system of 2- to10-passenger
airplanes. People could fly these small airplanes to and from small community
or neighbourhood airports. Before this system becomes areality, there are still
many bugs that need to be worked out. Communication is one of the problems
that will have to be fixed. The SATS would lead to thousands of inexperienced
pilots flying airplanes. They would be flying to and from small airports that
don’t usually have much traffic. Without major changes in air traffic control, the
chances of plane crashes would greatly increase. That’s why NASA is

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developing the Airborne Internet.

When people travel, they experience “connectivity down time” in which

they are detached from the information that their network provided. Wireless
networks are rapidly emerging to help fill this void. People that travel with
laptops or personal digital assistants can obtain short term network connectivity
from a business establishment when they stop for a break. Airport terminals
are becoming popular “hot spots’ for wireless connectivity as people have time
before and between flights to connect to the wireless network. The “human
connectivity imperative” shows us a glaring absence of network connectivity
during travel. While in motion on an aircraft, for example, people again lose the
ability to connect. We design transportation systems to interconnect to
complimentary forms of transportation.But these designs have ignored the
information connectivity needs of the people who use it. The time people spend
in transit could be turned into more productive time if network connectivity were
available. This can be accomplished using the A.I.

2.1.2 NEED FOR A HIGHER BANDWIDTH:

The second reason is related with the need for a higher bandwidth. The
computer most people use comes with a standard 56K modem, which means that
in an ideal situation the computer would downstream at a rate of 56 kilobits
per second (Kbps). 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 the computer. Land- based lines are limited

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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.

2.2 COMPARISON BETWEEN A.I &

INTERNET

Table 2.1 Comparison Of A.I And Internet

Parameters Internet A.I

1. Distance Of Communication Low Very High

2. Line Of Sight Obstruction Not Present Present

3. Antenna weight Can be high Must be low

4. Bandwidth Comparatively Broad

High

5. Delay Not Not Significant

Significant

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2.2 PRINCIPLE& WORKING

The principle behind the A.I. is to establish a robust, reliable, and

available digital data channel to aircraft. Establishing the general purpose,
multi-application digital data channel connection to the aircraft is analogous to
the connection of a desktop computer to its local area network, or even the wide
area network we call the Internet. But aircraft are mobile objects. Therefore,
mobile routing is required to maintain the data channel
connectivity while the aircraft moves from region to region Mobile routing is
the ability of a network user to move from one network to another without losing
network connectivity. It has been developed and has matured to the point that it
is ready to be applied to aviation.

The current internet protocol (IP) is being replaced with a new

version that includes provisions for security and mobile routing. It is specifically
designed to accommodate the proliferation of wireless network devices that are
easily transportable between networks. XML services, a standard way in which
software interacts provide the opportunity for all information to be published as
soon as it is available. This means the end user has the opportunity to receive
near real time data, depending on the situation. XML is independent of the
platform, operating system, or the

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device of the information source and the end user. Currently in aviation,
very little information can be updated digitally during flight. At best, some
information is updated using the analogue voice channel. Using XML aviation
services, aircraft operators could receive automatic updates of weather, landing
conditions at the destination airport, turbulence ahead, and other information.
Airborne Internet could be the means by which the aviation industry will
realize these benefits by providing XML services capability to aircraft.

The A.I Aircraft will house packet switching circuitry and fast digital
network functions.The communications antenna and related
components will be located in a pod suspended below the aircraft fuselage. To
offer "ubiquitous" service throughout a large region, the antenna will utilize
multiple beams arranged in a typical cellular pattern. Broadband channels to
subscribers in adjacent cells will be separated in frequency. As the beams
traverse over a user location, the virtual path through the packet switch will be
changed to perform a beam-to-beam handoff.

The airborne Internet won't be completely wireless. There will be ground-

based components to any type of airborne Internet network. The consumers will
have to install an antenna on their home or business in order to receive signals
from the network hub overhead. The networks will also work with established
Internet Service Providers (ISPs), who will provide their high- capacity
terminals for use by the network. These ISPs have a fibre point of presence --
their fibre optics is already set up. What the airborne Internet will do is

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provide an infrastructure that can reach areas that don't have broadband cables
and wires.

The Airborne Network will offer ubiquitous access to any subscriber

within a "super metropolitan area" from an aircraft operating at high altitude.
The aircraft will serve as the hub of the Airborne Network serving tens to
hundreds of thousands of subscribers. Each subscriber will be able to
communicate at multi-megabit per second data rates through a simple-to-
install subscriber unit. The Airborne Network will be steadily evolved at a
pace with the emergence of data communications technology world-wide. The
Airborne Network will be a universal wireless communications network
solution. It will be deployed globally on a city-by- city basis.

An airplane specially designed for high altitude flight with a payload

capacity of approximately one ton is being developed for commercial
wireless services. It will circle at high altitudes for extended periods of time and
it will serve as a stable platform from which broadband communications services
will be offered. The High Altitude Long Operation (HALO) Aircraft will
maintain station at an altitude of 52 to 60 thousand feet by flying in a circle
with a diameter of about 5 to 8 nautical miles. Three successive shifts on station
of 8 hours each can provide continuous coverage of an area for 24 hours per day,
7 days per week. Such a system can provide broadband multimedia
communications to the general public.

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One such platform will cover an area of approximately 2800 square

miles encompassing a typical metropolitan area. A viewing angle of 20 degrees
or higher will be chosen to facilitate good line-of-sight coverage at millimeter
wave (MMW) frequencies (20 GHz or higher). Operation at MMW frequencies
enables broadband systems to be realized, i.e., from spectrum bandwidths of 1
to 6 GHz. MMW systems also permit very narrow beamwidths to be
realized with small aperture antennas. Furthermore, since the aircraft is
abovemost of the earth's oxygen links to satellite constellations can be
implemented using the frequencies overlapping the 60GHz absorption band for
good immunity from ground-based interference and good isolation from inter-
satellite links.

The A.I Network can utilize a cellular pattern on the ground so that each
cell uses one of four frequency sub-bands, each having a bandwidth up to
60MHz each way. A fifth sub-band can be used for gateways (connections
tothe public network or dedicated users). Each cell will cover an area of a few
square miles. The entire bandwidth will be reused many times to achieve
total coverage throughout the 2800 square mile area served by the airborne
platform. The total capacity of the network supported by a single airborne
platform can be greater than 100 Gbps. This is comparable to terrestrial
fiber-optic (FO) networks and can provide two-way broadband multimedia
services normally available only via FO networks

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The Airborne Network provides an alternative to satellite- and
ground-based systems. Unlike satellite systems, however, the airborne
system concentrates all of the spectrum usage in certain geographic areas, which
minimizes frequency coordination problems and permits sharing of frequency
with ground-based systems. Enough power is available from the aircraft power
generator to allow broadband data access from small user terminals

2.3SERVICE CLASSES

There are various classes of service to be provided. A consumer service

would provide 1-5 Mbps communication links. A business service would
provide 5-12.5 Mbps links. Since the links would be "bandwidth-on- demand,"
the total available spectrum would be time-shared between the various active
sessions. The nominal data rates would be low while the peak rates would
expand to a specified level. A gateway service can be provided for "dedicated"
links of 25-155 Mbps

2.4DESIGN OPTIONS FORANTENNAS

The Airborne Network will use an array of narrow beam antennas on the
Airborne Aircraft to form multiple cells on the ground. Each cell covers a small
geographic area, e.g., 4 to 8 square miles. The payload is liquid-cooled and

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operates off of about 20 kilowatts of DC power. An 18-foot dish
underneath the plane is responsible for reflecting high-speed data signals from a
ground station to our computer. The wide bandwidths and narrow beamwidths
within each beam or cell are achieved by using MMW frequencies. Small
aperture antennas can be used to achieve small cells. For example, an antenna
having a diameter of only one foot can provide a beamwidth of less than
three degrees. One hundred dish antennas can be easily carried by the Airborne
Aircraft to create one hundred or more cells throughout the service area. If
lensed antennas are utilized, wider beams can be created by combining beams
through each lens aperture, and with multiple feeds behind each lens multiple
beams can be formed by each compound lens.

The major design options for antennas in the Communications Payload

are to utilize either platform-fixed beams or earth-fixed beams.

2.4.1PLATFORM-FIXED BEAMS:

For the case of platform-fixed beams, each antenna would have a fixed
field of view. The total field of view for the entire Airborne Network would
be the sum of these fields of view of the individual antennas. The network
could initially have a small footprint and as demands on the Airborne
services increase, additional antennas could be added to the communications
Payload. This results in a modular design, readily adaptable for growth.

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Platform-fixed beams are simpler to construct generally, but require the
"handoffs" between beams to be accomplished by the packet switching
equipment as the beams "sweep" across the ground with the movement of the
aircraft. However, the cost and performance penalties for frequently changing
the virtual path through the packet switch may be appreciable.

2.4.2EARTH-FIXED BEAMS:

An alternative is to electronically steer the beams so they

remain"fixed" on the ground as the aircraft moves. This results in more
electronic and physical complexity for the antennas, but this may be a good
trade-off to make since the burden on the packet switch and its network
management software would be greatly reduced. These trade-offs are still being
assessed. For the case of earth-fixed beams, each antenna would have a wider
field of view than the sum of the beams in that antenna since each beam can
be steered in all directions. Each beam could be capable of steering throughout
the Airborne footprint, or could be assigned a smaller portion. If there are
"gaps" in the required coverage due to such things as rivers, hills, or forests,
then the earth-fixed beams can be steered away from these undesirable
coverage zones and more efficient usage of the antennas might result
compared to the case of platform-fixed beams.A.I. could open up a whole new
set of operating capabilities, cost savings, safety and efficiency for tomorrow’s
aviation industry. The functions provided today that require the use of multiple
on-board systems could be reduced to two simple systems.

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First, a rigorous and dependable method to maintain the airplane’s

connection to the ground-based IP network is needed. This function is
feasible using a combination of VHF radio (as is used for today’s aircraft
communications) and an alternate, backup communication method. A
satellite communication system could be employed for aircraft that fly in
sparsely populated areas that are beyond VHF coverage of the existing NAS
infrastructure, or for any aircraft that might lose VHF coverage (even
temporarily). Satellite communication is currently being used for trans- oceanic
flight today in which aircraft are clearly beyond range of the VHF radio system
in the NAS.

Second, a means of accurately determining an aircraft’s position is

required. Current technology in GPS receivers provides position information
reliably and accurately.

It is possible that enough aircraft could utilize the A.I. architecture to

create a virtual network in the sky. At any given moment, ther are between
4500 and 6000 aircraft in flight over the United States.

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2.5NETWORK ARCHITECTURE

A critical first step in attaining the desirable capabilities of an Airborne

Internet is a well-conceived architecture. Aircraft and landing facilities will be
interconnected nodes in a high-speed digital communications network providing
instant identification and information services on demand with seamless linking
to the global transportation system. The Airborne Internet will leverage open
standards and protocols for client-server network system architecture that are in
development in the telecommunications industry for increased bandwidth for
mobile applications.

The secret to how well the Internet works is that it is a distributed

network. In a centralized network, all computers are connected to one main
server. They compete with each other to use that server. In the Internet,
however, there is no central server. Content is stored on millions of computers
around the world. And, the information can be accessed by millions more.
Routers connect Internet users with what they are seeking. This creates a
network that runs better because of the speed of millions of computers working
together. A similar system would run the Airborne Internet. It would be a high-
speed digital network. Information would be passed between aircrafts and the
ground by the Internet. The aircrafts and the ground facilities would be the nodes
in the network.

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Figure.3. Block Diagram Representation of Airborne Internet

Network Architecture

At the apex of a wireless Cone of Commerce, the payload of the

Airborne Aircraft becomes the hub of a star topology network for routing data
packets between any two subscribers possessing premise equipment within
the service coverage area. A single hop with only two links is required, each link
connecting the payload to a subscriber. The links are wireless, broadband and
line of sight

Information created outside the service area is delivered to the

subscriber's consumer premise equipment ("CPE") through business premise
equipment ("BPE") operated by Internet Service Providers ("ISPs") or
content providers within that region, and through the Airborne Gateway
("HG") equipment directly connected to distant metropolitan areas via leased
trunks. The HG is a portal serving the entire network. It avails system-wide
access to content providers and it allows any subscriber to extend their

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communications beyond the Airborne Network service area by connecting
them to dedicated long-distance lines such as inter-metro optical fiber.

The CPE, BPE and HG all perform the same functions: use a high-gain
antenna that automatically tracks the Airborne Aircraft; extract modulated
signals conveyed through the air by millimeter waves; convert the extracted
signals to digital data; provide standards-based data communications interfaces;
and route the digital data to information appliances, personal computers, and
workstations connected to the premise equipment. Thus, some of the
technologies and components, both hardware and software, will be common to
the designs of these three basic network elements

Figure3. The Airborne Network Architecture

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The CPE, BPE and HG differ in size, complexity and cost, ranging from the
CPE which is the smallest, least complex, lowest priced and will be expressively
built for the mass market; followed by the BPE, engineered for a medium size
business to provide access to multiple telecommuters by extending the corporate
data communications network; to the HG which provides high bandwidth
wireless data trunking to Wide Area Networks ("WANs") maintained and
operated by the long distance carriers and content handlers who wish to
distribute their products widely.

In other words, the CPE is a personal gateway serving the consumer. The
BPE is a gateway for the business requiring higher data rates. The HG, as a
major element of the entire network, will be engineered to serve reliably as a
critical network element. All of these elements are being demonstrated in
related forms by terrestrial 38 GHz and LMDS vendors.

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CHAPTER 3

FEATURES &
ADVANTAGES

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3. FEATURES & ADVANTAGES

3.1 FEATURES

The key features of the Airborne Internet Network are summarized below.
• Seamless ubiquitous multimedia services.
• Adaptation to end user environments.
• Enhanced user connectivity globally.
• Rapidly deployable to sites of opportunity.
• Secure and reliable information transactions.
• Bandwidth on demand provides efficient use of available spectrum.
• It helps to avoid the connectivity down time of people in transit.
• It helps to achieve a broader bandwidth.
• It has the potential to provide cost savings for aircrafts operators.

3.2 ADVANTAGES

The airborne Internet will function much like 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 at several
hundreds of miles above Earth. The airborne-Internet aircraft will circle
overhead at an altitude of 52,000 to 69,000 feet (15,849 to 21,031 meters). At

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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 ground-based 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 take a lot of time to
provide universal access 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.

The time people spend in transit could be turned into more productive
time if network connectivity were available.It would be a high-speed digital
network.It has the potential to provide significant cost savings for aircrafts
operators and the FAA, as it allows the consolidation of many functions
into a common data channel.Numerous applications can use the same data
channel.Since the Aircraft are operated from regional airports, the equipment
will be routinely maintained and calibrated.This also allows for equipment
upgrades as technology advances yield lower cost and weight and provide
increased performance.

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CHAPTER 4

APPLICATIONS

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4.APPLICATIONS

Since the Airborne Internet provides broad band services, it increases the
speed of downloading & uploading of data through it.

A primary application for A.I. is to track aircraft for the air traffic control
system. Aircraft pilots would let the traffic controllers know where they are
through the network. The network would give the crew information that would
help them avoid collisions. It would also allow information to be sent from
aircraft to aircraft without having to go through ground facilities. The system
could also be used to send safety warnings to aircraft.

It has the potential to provide significant cost savings for aircrafts operators
and the FAA, as it allows the consolidation of many functions into a
common data channel. Numerous applications can use the same data
channel.Using XML aviation services, aircraft operators could receive automatic
updates of weather, landing conditions at the destination airport, turbulence
ahead, and other information. Airborne Internet could be the means by
which the aviation industry will realize these benefits by providing XML
services capability to aircraft. .

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CHAPTER 5
CONCLUSION

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5.CONCLUSION

AI is the most recent development in the conventional internet of today. It

takes the internet into transportation realms. It would be a high-speed digital
network. Information would be passed between aircrafts and the ground by the
Internet. Development of the Airborne Internet has already begun.

Mainly three companies are planning to provide high-speed wireless Internet

connection by placing aircraft in fixed patterns over hundreds of cities.

Angel Technologies is planning an airborne Internet network, called High

Altitude Long Operation (HALO), which would use lightweight planes to circle
overhead and provide data delivery faster than a T1 line for businesses.
Consumers would get a connection comparable to DSL. The centrepiece of this
network is the Proteus plane, which will carry wireless networking equipment
into the air. Each city in the HALO Network will be allotted three piloted
Proteus planes. Each plane will fly for eight hours before the next plane takes
off. After takeoff, the Proteus plane will climb to a safe altitude, above any bad
weather or commercial traffic, and begin an 8- mile loop around the city. Each
plane will accommodate two pilots, who will split flying duties during their
eight-hour flight.

NASA and AeroVironment are working on a solar-powered, lightweight

plane that could fly over a city for six months or more, at 60,000 feet,
without landing. AeroVironment plans to use these unmanned planes as the

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carrier to provide broadband Internet access. Helios is currently in the
prototype stage.

Sky Station International is counting on its blimps to deliver high-speed

Internet access from high altitudes. Sky Station calls its blimps lighter-than- air
platforms, and plans to station these airships over at least 250 cities worldwide,
one over each city. Each station would fly at an altitude of 13miles (21 km)
and provide wireless service to an area of approximately 7,500 square miles
(19,000 square km).

The Airborne Network is capable of providing high rate communications

to users of multimedia and broadband services. The feasibility of this approach is
reasonably assured due to the convergence of technological advancements.
The key enabling technologies at hand include:

• GaAs RF devices which operate at MMW frequencies

• Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM)/Synchronous Optical Network
(SONET) Technology and Components
• Digital Signal Processing for Wideband Signals
• Video Compression
• Very Dense Memory Capacity
• Aircraft Technology
These technologies are individually available, to a great extent, from
commercial markets. The Airborne Network seeks to integrate these various
technologies into a service of high utility to small and medium businesses and

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other multimedia consumers at a reasonable cost.Airborne Internet will overtake
the conventional internet in the near future, that is sure.

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REFERENCE

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REFERENCE

1. www.AirborneInternet.com

2. www.NASAexplores.com

3. Airborne Internet/Collaborative Information Environment article.

4. www.aerospace.nasa.gov/curevent/tgir/index.html

5. White Paper on Airborne Internet.

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