Collins demonstrates directional communications technology under DARPA Pheme

A prototype of Collins Aerospace's new directional communication system designed for small platforms, such as unmanned aerial systems, operating in contested environments. (Collins Aerospace )

Collins Aerospace has demonstrated a new directional communication system designed for small platforms, such as unmanned aerial systems, operating in contested environments.

The demonstration, forming part of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA's) Pheme project, showed the ability to enable connectivity in the Combined Joint All Domain Command and Control (CJADC2) battlespace. DARPA awarded Collins Aerospace a USD5.3 million contract for the Pheme project in February 2020.

Traditional communication systems radiate an omnidirectional pattern, which increases the potential for detection and interference by adversaries. For increased covertness and resilience, Collins Aerospace developed a directional communication system, leveraging 5G technology, which radiates energy only in the direction of the receivers. This system incorporates new directional discovery and tracking techniques that enable operations in GPS-denied environments.

Prior to the final customer demonstration, integration of system elements – such as radio hardware, software, antennas, and pointing system – was supported by over-the-air testing at the Collins Aerospace facility in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. This testing activity consisted of short range (<5 km) ground-to-ground communications between temporary fixed (tripod-mounted) terminals and equipment mounted on a mobile test van.

The subsequent flight demonstration phase, undertaken from Iowa City airport, saw flight hardware installed in pods carried below two Aero Vodochody L-29 Delfin jets operated by the University of Iowa. Exchanging video and control data, the demonstration showed high-throughput communications with minimal detection between an airborne radio mounted in an underwing five-inch pod, and a ground radio, said Collins Aerospace.