Data link requirements for air-to-air collision avoidance

One of the key technologies in future air traffic management is air-to-air communication. Especially data links, that is, direct wireless transmission of digital data will play a major role for air traffic applications like ad-hoc integration into air spaces, separation assurance, collision avoidance and landing. Recently, the avionics engineering center of Ohio University has developed a high-precision air-to-air surveillance solution for use in these areas, especially collision avoidance. The prerequisite for this air-to-air surveillance solution is the availability of a reliable data link. DLR deals with the development and simulation of future data links within the project Air2Air. Working together, Ohio University and DLR have carried out a series of flight experiments in late 2012 and early 2013, during which data exchange was recorded and evaluated with a special emphasis on the requirements of transmission of high-framerate, high-precision navigational information. In this paper we will present some results from these recordings together with considerations concerning future applications of data links for collision avoidance methods.