A1.2 - Scaling Bidirectional Telemetry for Large Aircraft: Challenges and Solutions
- Event
- ETTC 2026 - European Test and Telemetry Conference
2026-06-09 - 2026-06-11
Nuremberg - Chapter
- RF Spectrum I
- Author(s)
- F. M. F. Casuso - Airbus DS SAU (Spain)
- Pages
- 15 - 21
- DOI
- 10.5162/ettc2026/A1.2
- Price
- free
Abstract
Bidirectional telemetry is essential for the modern monitoring and control of aerospace platforms, enabling real-time data exchange and adaptive command transmission. While previous stages of this research successfully validated the system using laboratory environments and small-scale technology demonstrators, such as motor gliders, transitioning to large-scale aircraft introduces significant technical complexities. These challenges include managing increased cable lengths, mitigating signal shadowing caused by complex fuselage structures, and maintaining high bandwidth within demanding electromagnetic environments. This paper proposes an integration approach designed to overcome these obstacles by leveraging advanced technologies, specifically multiple spatial streams and adaptive beamforming. We outline a comprehensive experimental test campaign aimed at assessing system performance on a large aircraft platform. The investigation focuses on coverage management, signal degradation due to platform topology, and the robustness of the bidirectional link. System effectiveness will be evaluated through key metrics, including signal strength, throughput, latency, and error rates. The results of this study aim to validate the scalability of the proposed system and provide critical insights into its behaviour under real-world operational conditions, marking a significant step toward more reliable and efficient aerospace telemetry solutions.