Grant: Applied Research and Development Grants - Level 3

The proposed project entitled "Cellular Network Support for Unmanned Traffic Management" is a collaboration between AirMarket Inc., Telus Communications Inc. and SAIT. The project builds on a prior successful NSERC Engage-supported applied research in which the positioning accuracy of AirMarkets Flysafe flight management software was verified to be as good as the accuracy from the Google Earth backdrop. Subsequently, AirMarket approached SAIT to partner on an applied research project to carry out BVLOS trials and establish quality of service (QOS) metrics for wireless communication networks that support data and telemetry traffic between the RPAS and ground station. As the QOS metrics are established, data traffic simulation will be conducted to determine the efficacy of the metrics and determine throughput against the demands of actual RPAS based data services. Next, BVLOS field trails will be conducted with cellular network support from Telus for sensor and flight management data traffic to enable QOS verification. As the project progresses, AirMarket will use the test platform to verify the functionality of commercially available packages for photogrammetry, remote monitoring and inspection, all of which will be supported by Telus's cellular infrastructure. This project promises to become the first comprehensive trial of cellular assisted BVLOS flight missions. The project partners will get an advantage in marketing Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) products to the RPAS industry and will assume an influential position in Canadian RPAS legislation and business strategy. SAIT will develop valuable expertise in a new research area to add to its already impressive resume of accomplishments in RPAS and aviation science. Students from geomatics and IT disciplines will participate and thus become more employable in the telecom and RPAS aviation industries. The Canadian RPAS industry will benefit from the knowledge obtained in the project and gain recognition globally in a burgeoning industry that will grow as the result of project milestones.