The Joint Requirements Statement (JRS), developed through the GSMA Fusion initiative, sets out how mobile networks and programmable network capabilities can support the safe, trusted and scalable drone operations as the market grows, with electronic conspicuity playing a central role,” said the association in a press release. Initial contributors and signatories include the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), BCN Drone Center, Dimetor, Ericsson, Invicsa, NextNav, Nokia, Shabodi and Viasat.
“Electronic conspicuity (EC) signals the ability for an aircraft or drone to be electronically visible and identifiable to other airspace users and authorities,” says GSMA. “It enables the sharing of information such as position, altitude, direction, speed and identity in real time to improve situational awareness and safety. The JRS document highlights the growing urgency for industry alignment as governments, regulators and aviation authorities worldwide accelerate work on beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone operations, drone first responder programmes, autonomous aviation systems and future passenger carrying eVTOL aircraft.”
Without early coordination, the group warns there is a significant risk that fragmented and nationally isolated approaches to drone conspicuity, identity and connectivity could become entrenched before globally interoperable frameworks are established. In the JRS, the organisations outline how mobile networks can evolve beyond simple connectivity providers and play a strategic role in enabling trusted low altitude aviation through capabilities such as:
- Trusted identity and authentication
- Secure positioning and geolocation
- Real time telemetry assurance
- Prioritised connectivity for safety critical operations
- Auditable network backed data streams
- Cross border interoperability
- Scalable support for high density drone operations
- Resilient multi-layer connectivity through terrestrial and Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN), helping support continuity of operations beyond traditional coverage areas
The group also outlines the role of programmable network capabilities and APIs, including GSMA Open Gateway and CAMARA aligned frameworks, can play in helping support future aviation safety, security and operational efficiency requirements. They further highlight NTN as an increasingly important resilience layer for future drone operations, particularly for remote, maritime, disaster recovery and national security related missions where terrestrial coverage alone may not always be sufficient.
For more information
www.gsma.com
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