Low Data Rates Necessary for RPV Command Guidance

Abstract

In the design of a tactical multi-remotely piloted vehicle (RPV) data link, the RPV data rate and update rate are crucial to the multi-RPV scenario. Data rates on the order of 150 bits per second per RPV or fewer and update rates of fewer than 2 per second per RPV must be used if the RPV's are to operate successfully in a hostile jamming environment. This limit is imposed by the amount of RF spectrum that can be obtained for applying spread-spectrum to protect the data channel. Through data management all necessary RPV command and telemetry functions can be handled at these rates.