Enerdyne Technologies - Full Duplex Video ISR Data Links for Tactical UAVs

Enerdyne is a leading supplier of full duplex digital data links for high bandwidth communications requirements in manned and unmanned vehicles. Enerdyne’s family of EnerLinks™ data links is optimized for Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems (TUAS) or manned platforms.

These links support IP data, serial data, analog or digital video and other sensor outputs. Features include H.264 video compression, frame-synchronized metadata, efficient multiplexing, turbo product FEC, and minimized SWaP, delivering Line-of-Sight (LOS) range to the horizon with small tactical antennas.

ENERLINKS™III SOFTWARE CONFIGURABLE DATA LINK

EnerLinksIII is a software configurable data link providing unprecedented flexibility and performance for mission-specific needs. Life-cycle upgrades can occur with a software download. EnerLinksIII includes a variable bit rate modem with user-selectable bit rates from 50kbps to 11 Mbps. Gaussian-shaped Minimum Shift Keying (GMSK) modulation supports efficient class C power amplifiers that substantially reduce aircraft power consumption. GMSK is spectrally efficient with very low out-of-band emissions. Coupled with the receiver’s exceptional selectivity, this property allows closely-spaced transmissions when multiple UAVs operate in the same airspace.

EnerLinksIII achieves reliable link performance to the horizon using 5 watt RF aircraft power amplifiers and tactical ground antennas. The system’s Airborne Modem Transceiver (AMT) and Ground Modem Transceiver (GMT) can be configured with two frequency options:

• L-band (1,700-1,850 MHz) & S-band (2,200-2,500 MHz)
• Lower C-band (4,400-4,950 MHz) & upper C-band (5,250-5,850 MHz)

The EnerLinksIII can transmit two concurrent H.264 compressed video streams. STANAG 4586 compliant KLV metadata maintains alignment with individual video frames using the MISB RP0604 protocol. The GMT can broadcast H.264 video and metadata elementary streams in an MPEG2 transport stream for display with standard viewers. Upgrade options include AE-256 encryption and digital reception of legacy analog FNL signals.

ENERLINKS™II DVA LOS DATA LINKS

The vast majority of operational LOS data links are analog devices in which the analog PAL or NTSC signal, directly feeds the UAV FM transmitter.

The EnerLinksII DVA (Digital Video over Analog) system is a unique digital system that transforms any existing analog FM ISR video link into a robust, flexible digital video and IP data link using the installed airframe ISR transmitter system. The DVA simultaneously transmits high-quality compressed H.264 video and UDP/IP network traffic using a quarter of the bandwidth required for analog video. Modern FEC techniques improve the link margin by 12dB which translates to 4X range improvement. All this can be achieved without modification to the aircraft’s RF hardware infrastructure.

On the ground, the output of any pre-existing FM receiver can feed its barehand signal to the EnerLinksII GMR for processing and recovery of all transmitted sensor signals to their native formats. Otherwise the EnerLinksII GMR’s own L or S Band receiver may be utilized.

ENERVIEW™ VIDEO DISPLAY AND CONTENT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

All EnerLinks products include EnerView software, for ISR sensor and metadata content management. This feature-rich Windows XP product is a real-time viewer for live ISR video, and metadata, or a non-real time exploitation system.

EnerView archives all downlink content, retaining time-tagged links between each video frame and other downlinked data. Mission chat sessions can be recorded and replayed with archived video for forensic applications.

Archives are searchable by time, location, or text. EnerView maps the UAV flight path using GPS coordinates received during a UAV mission. Archived video from any location on that flight path may be obtained by a simple point and click interaction with the map.

Full DVR support includes reverse, forward, pause and single step. Video clips and individual JPEG frames can be extracted for situation awareness, targeting, and dissemination. Video can be streamed via UDP unicast or multicast.

CUSTOMIZATION DATA LINK HARDWARE

The SWaP envelope for data link hardware in tactical UAVs is unique and limited. Enerdyne's business model is to design products for markets and shape them to address specific needs.