Frequency Reuse With Waypoints

Abstract

Frequency reuse has great potential for improving spectral efficiency in de-conflicting frequency assignments for test flights at Department of Defense ranges. In effect, it doubles spectrum availability for a given time-frequency window. The Spectrum Access Manager (SAM) implements a feature that determines whether, for a conflicting pair of assignments, frequency reuse via spatial separation of flight plans is possible. The feature modeled a flight plan as an un-sequenced collection of flight areas. The implementation proved to be challenging since, to determine interference between two assignments, an order N x M algorithm for points across the flight areas had to be employed. Better results were achieved by modelling a flight plan as a sequence of elements, each of which may be a Waypoint, a flight area in transit, or a flight area resident. Compared to the Flight Area Model, the Waypoint Model (1) aligns better with range concept of operations, (2) removes the need for an order N x M algorithm, and (3) discovers more opportunities for frequency reuse.