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Aviation

Unmanned Aircraft Systems Communication Mesh Test Deployment


Project Number: SPR-1753

Contract Number: 2023-0679

Status: Complete

Start Date: 01/09/2025

End Date: 06/30/2025

Summary:

The purpose of the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Communications Mesh Test Deployment project was to evaluate the feasibility of using short-range wireless mesh networks to support Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations for UAS. The project focused on integrating Dedicated Short-Range Communications (DSRC) and Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X) technologies, commonly used in connected vehicle systems, as a communications framework for real-time UAS command, control, and data transmission.

Methods included deploying and testing mesh network infrastructure at various locations in Michigan, including real-world BVLOS flight demonstrations conducted at a designated test site in Lansing. UAS, helicopters, and connected ground vehicles were used to evaluate communication availability, latency, network resilience, and multimodal coordination in urban and rural environments. Federal regulatory approvals were obtained to support operations. Results confirmed that DSRC and C-V2X technologies can effectively support BVLOS operations and enable multimodal integration with existing transportation infrastructure. However, communication performance was sensitive to terrain, vegetation, and building obstructions, emphasizing the need for careful placement of ground-based radio equipment. The study concludes that mesh-based communication systems are a viable and scalable solution for integrating UAS into intelligent transportation systems and recommends further research into three-dimensional UAS swarm testing, cooperative behavior modeling, and financial transaction capabilities.

 

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