Extending UAV Video Dissemination via Seamless Handover: A Proof of Concept Evaluation of the IEEE 802.21 Standard

With an increase in the amount of daily UAV flights and the number of Digital Video Broadcast Return Channel Satellite (DVBRCS) suites in the Central Command (CENTCOM) Theater of Operations, the demand for a constant access to the operational picture has also increased. Until recently, there have been limited solutions for enlarging the access to DVBRCS video feeds. With the advent of wireless technologies, such as WiFi, WiMAX, 3G, and LTE, the opportunity to extend the access should be considered. In particular, the IEEE 802.21 standard, known as Media Independent Handover services, could be the solution to not only extending the network beyond the reaches of the forward operating bases, but allowing for no loss in connectivity, due to its ability to conduct seamless handovers, while on the move. In this thesis, a proof of concept evaluation of the compatibility of the IEEE 802.21 standard and the DVBRCS system, using an open source implementation, is presented. This work is to determine if the standard is to be a viable solution for extending the services of DVBRCS to forward deployed units via wireless networks.