ACP-WGF26/WP-06
International Civil Aviation Organization
AERONAUTICAL COMMUNICATIONS PANEL (ACP)
26th MEETING OF WORKING GROUP F
Montreal, Canada 21 – 30 March 2012
Agenda Item 3: Development of ICAO Positions for WRC-15
Consideration of regulatory actions, including allocations, to support
Wireless Avionics Intra-Communications
(Presented by Joe Cramer)
SUMMARY
This paper presents preliminary information on WRC-15 Agenda Item 1.17 to
assist in the development of the draft ICAO Position for Wireless Avionics
Intra-Communications (WAIC) systems.
ACTION
The meeting is invited to consider this information in developing the initial
draft of the ICAO position on this agenda item for WRC-15
1.
INTRODUCTION
1.1
WRC-12 agreed on a Conference Agenda Item for WRC-15 to investigate the spectrum
requirements and consider appropriate regulatory actions to support the implementation of WAIC
systems. This contribution is not intended to identify the spectrum requirements for WAIC systems. This
paper is intended to provide a high level overview of WAIC, and present an initial draft ICAO position
with respect to WRC-15 Agenda Item 1.17 which can be used as a basis for the discussions in the
development of such a position.
2.
DISCUSSION
2.1
The commercial aviation industry is developing the next generation of aircraft to be more
efficient and reliable, as well as to be more environmentally friendly. One important way of doing this is
to reduce aircraft weight. It is believed that wireless technologies can be used to reduce the weight of
aircraft systems which will reduce the amount of fuel required to fly, thereby benefiting the aviation
industry and the environment.
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2.2
Installed wireless avionics intra-communications (WAIC) systems are one way to derive these
benefits. WAIC systems consist of radiocommunications between two or more points on a single aircraft.
Points of communication may include integrated wireless components and/or installed components of the
system. In all cases communication is assumed to be part of a closed, exclusive network required for
operation of the aircraft. WAIC systems do not provide air-to-ground, air-to-satellite or air-to-air
communications. WAIC systems will only be used for safety-related aircraft applications
2.3
As the reliance on wireless technology continues to expand, the use of WAIC systems to transmit
information important to the safe and efficient operation of an aircraft may provide significant advantages
over current wired systems.
2.4
The “invites” of Resolution COM6/22 (WRC-12), see Annex 2, states that the necessary studies
to determine the spectrum requirements needed to support WAIC systems should first consider frequency
bands within existing worldwide aeronautical mobile service, aeronautical mobile (R) service and
aeronautical radionavigation service allocations, and then consider additional frequency bands above
15.7 GHz. This Resolution is provided in Annex 2.
2.5
Because aviation frequency bands will be considered for WAIC applications, it is important that
WAIC systems be capable of operating without causing harmful interference to incumbent systems or
impacting the safety of a flight.
2.6
In order to ensure safe incorporation of WAIC systems onto aircraft, it is expected that technical
Standards and Recommended Practices (“SARPS”)1, Minimum Operational Performance Standards
(MOPS)2, and/or Minimum Aviation System Performance Standards (MASPS)3 might be required to be
developed.
1 SARPS are defined separately by Standards and Recommended Practices: Standard: Any specification for physical
characteristics, configuration, material, performance, personnel or procedure, the uniform application of which is recognised as
necessary for the safety or regularity of international air navigation and to which Contracting States will conform in accordance
with the Convention; in the event of impossibility of compliance, notification to the Council is compulsory under Article 38 of
the Convention. Recommended Practice: Any specification for physical characteristics, configuration, material, performance,
personnel or procedure, the uniform application of which is recognised as desirable in the interest of safety, regularity or
efficiency of international air navigation, and to which Contracting States should endeavour to conform in accordance with the
Convention.
2 A MOPS provides standards for specific equipment(s) useful to designers, manufacturers, installers and users of the equipment.
The word "equipment" used in a MOPS includes all components and units necessary for the system to properly perform its
intended function(s). The MOPS provides the information needed to understand the rationale for equipment characteristics and
requirements stated. The MOPS describes typical equipment applications and operational goals and establishes the basis for
required performance under the standard. Definitions and assumptions essential to proper understanding are provided as well as
installed equipment tests and operational performance characteristics for equipment installations. Compliance with these
standards is recommended as one means of assuring the equipment will perform its intended function(s) satisfactorily under all
conditions normally encountered in routine aeronautical operations. A MOPS may be implemented by one or more regulatory
document and/or advisory document and may be implemented in part or in total.
3 A MASPS specifies characteristics that should be useful to designers, installers, manufacturers, service providers and users of
systems intended for operational use within a defined airspace. Where the systems are global in nature, the system may have
international applications that are taken in to consideration. The MASPS describes the system (subsystems / functions) and
provides information needed to understand the rationale for system characteristics, operational goals, requirements and typical
applications. Definitions and assumptions essential to proper understanding of the MASPS are provided as well as minimum
system test procedures to verify system performance compliance (e.g., end-to-end performance verification). Compliance with a
MASPS is recommended as one means of assuring that the system and each subsystem will perform its intended function(s)
satisfactorily under conditions normally encountered in routine aeronautical operations for the environments intended. The
MASPS may be implemented in part or in total.
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ACP-WGF26/WP-06
2.7
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is invited to contribute to the ITU-R
studies to determine the spectrum requirements needed to support WAIC systems and the sharing and
compatibility studies. When determining appropriate frequency bands and regulatory actions, the agenda
item calls for consideration, initially, of frequency bands within existing worldwide aeronautical mobile
service, aeronautical mobile (R) service and aeronautical radionavigation service allocations before
looking into additional frequency bands above 15.7 GHz for aeronautical services.
ACTION BY THE MEETING
The ACP WGF is invited to consider the draft text proposed in Annex 1 of this contribution and use it as
required to support development of a preliminary draft ICAO position for Agenda Item 1.17.
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Annex 1
WRC-12 Agenda Item 1.17
Agenda Item Title:
To consider possible spectrum requirements and regulatory actions, including appropriate
aeronautical allocations, to support wireless avionics intra-communications (WAIC), in accordance
with Resolution COM6/22 (WRC-12);
Discussion:
The commercial aviation industry is developing the next generation of aircraft to provide airlines and the
flying public more cost-efficient, safer, and more reliable aircraft. Wireless technologies can reduce the
overall weight of systems, reducing the amount of fuel required to fly and thus benefiting the
environment. The ability to use WAIC communication systems globally is extremely important to the
commercial aviation industry, but presents a significant challenge given the international nature of air
travel. The aviation industry is striving to utilize wireless systems for both system upgrades on current
aircraft, and in new aircraft design that will be as safe as current wired systems, while reducing costs.
WAIC systems are defined as communications used for safety-related applications and will be limited to
transmitting as part of a closed, exclusive network required for aircraft operations. These systems will not
provide air-to-ground, air-to-satellite or air-to-air communications. In order to more easily determine
candidate frequency bands, WAIC systems will be divided into four main types based upon their data
requirements and their location on the aircraft.
It is anticipated that most WAIC systems will be internal to the aircraft structure, with a few applications
located outside. WAIC systems can also be further defined by their data rate requirements. Therefore, it
might be possible to enable WAIC systems to operate in one or more aeronautical or other frequency
bands based upon location on an aircraft or operational limitation, and data rate requirements.
ICAO Position:
To support appropriate aeronautical allocations for Wireless
Avionics Intra-Communications (WAIC) under the condition
that they do not adversely affect existing aeronautical
systems
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ACP-WGF26/WP-06
Annex 2
RESOLUTION COM6/22 (WRC-12)
Consideration of regulatory actions, including allocations, to support
Wireless Avionics Intra-Communications
The World Radiocommunication Conference (Geneva, 2012),
a)
considering
a)
that the future generation of aircraft is being designed to enhance efficiency,
reliability and safety, as well as to be more environmentally friendly;
b)
that Wireless Avionics Intra-Communications (WAIC) systems are restricted to
radiocommunications between two or more points integrated into or installed on a single aircraft;
c)
that WAIC systems do not include communications between an aircraft and the
ground, another aircraft or a satellite;
d)
that WAIC systems have to ensure the safe operation of an aircraft and have to
operate with an appropriate level of protection to comply with the safety and regularity of flight;
e)
that WAIC systems will be operated on the ground and during all phases of flight;
f)
that aircraft equipped with WAIC systems will be operated globally and will cross
national borders,
b)
recognizing
a)
that WAIC systems are being developed to operate safely and efficiently in one or
more non-contiguous radio-frequency bands, emphasizing those currently allocated to the
aeronautical mobile service and aeronautical radionavigation service;
b)
that WAIC systems operating inside an aircraft will benefit from fuselage attenuation
and other aircraft surface attenuation in order to facilitate sharing with other services;
c)
that Report ITU-R M.2197 provides technical characteristics and operational
objectives for WAIC systems,
c)
resolves
that WRC-15 consider, based on the results of ITU-R studies, possible regulatory actions,
including appropriate aeronautical allocations, to support the implementation of WAIC systems,
while taking into account spectrum requirements for WAIC and protection requirements for
systems operating in accordance with existing allocations,
d)
invites ITU-R
1
to conduct, in time for WRC-15, the necessary studies to determine the spectrum
requirements needed to support WAIC systems;
2
to conduct sharing and compatibility studies, based on the results of invites ITU-R 1,
to determine appropriate frequency bands and regulatory actions;
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i)
ii)
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when conducting studies in accordance with invites ITU-R 2, to consider:
frequency bands within existing worldwide aeronautical mobile service, aeronautical
mobile (R) service and aeronautical radionavigation service allocations;
additional frequency bands above 15.7 GHz for aeronautical services if spectrum
requirements cannot be met in frequency bands studied under invites ITU-R 3 i),
e)
invites
the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to contribute to these studies,
f)
instructs the Secretary-General
to bring this Resolution to the attention of ICAO.