Battlespace Spectrum Management

Airports use an abundance of wireless technologies to connect passengers, devices, safety-critical systems, and aircraft. ATDI specialise in three types of communication systems: ground communications for controlling operations, ground-to-air communications for managing airspace and radars for monitoring en-route operations. 

HTZ is technology-neutral allowing it to model almost every wireless technology. It features dedicated functions, including:

• A full geographic dataset to model networks and interference within the airport environment;
• Automated coverage planning function to reduce network design and deployment processing times;
• Dedicated aeronautical propagation models;
• Supports frequency planning and interference analysis;
• Features surveillance functions including multi-lateration (TDOA and TSOA);
• Model ATC radars (VOR, ILS, MLAT, RADAR);
• Manages the impact of wind turbine interference or 5G towers on aeronautical radars;
• ICAO building restriction compliance, analysing the impact of buildings encroaching on coverage;
• Point to point / Point to Multipoint link analysis (DL and UL);
• Indoor modelling for terminals and hangers, supporting technologies including WiFi 6;
• Coordination for FM/VHF/UHF and other wireless technologies.

Key features include:

ICAO Building Heights: This function computes the max. building heights on each point of the map, for seen and not seen points. This automatically checks the max clearance and then re-calculates a new dataset based on the ASCII-GRID format. Essential when modelling the impact of new buildings on Radars and other airport comms equipment.

Exclusion zones: This function supports coexistence modelling between 5G and radio altimeters by calculating the min. the separation between bands, taking into account the digital terrain model, buildings, flight path and flight height and the 5G network deployment. Once parameters are input, including propagation modelling, transmission power and antenna height, pattern and tilt, the uplink signal to the radio altimeter can be modelled.

Multilateration: The MLAT function calculates the location of an aircraft accurately. TDOA calculates the time difference between the signals received by multiple sensors, while TSOA calculates the time synchronization of the signals received by multiple sensors. Both methods reduce errors in locating aircraft and enhance tracking accuracy.  HTZ uses advanced algorithms to calculate the location of the aircraft with the TDOA and TSOA methods to improve the accuracy of results.

Localization: The localization accuracy map featured in HTZ, allows the user to determine the localization accuracy of a network consisting of Direction Finders. These detect the best possible locations for virtual transmitters located on the map.

Indoor modelling: HTZ  Communications models communications inside terminals and hangers and supports multiple technologies, including WiFi 6. HTZ features an ITU propagation model for indoor environments and allows the user to specify building materials in the settings.

This tutorial looks at the interaction between 5G towers and radio altimeters on aircraft.
The tutorial calculates the exclusion zone needed around the airport to enable MNOs to decide where to deploy 5G towers.

Check out our Blog on microwave links versus flight altitude analysis.

5G networks offer increased capacity, lower latency and faster speeds. They can operate in the higher frequency bands between 28GHz and 60GHz in a band known as the millimetre wave (mmWave) spectrum. 5G networks feature dense, distributed networks of base stations or small cells. 5G networks offer ultra-reliable, low latency capacity, which supports a growing number of user applications. Our flagship radio planning tool, HTZ enables MNOs to plan, model and optimise their radio networks.

Small cells in 5G networks increase network data capacity and can reduce rollout costs by eliminating expensive rooftop installations. 5G networks feature built-in flexibility to support coexistence with other standards like LTE & Wi-Fi and to enable spectrum sharing.

Because 5G operates in high-frequency bands, accurate cartographic data is needed to consider the terrain, clutter heights and building which may impact the service, network latency and capacity. ATDI offers access to a comprehensive library of map data, available for download for customers with a valid maintenance contract. These high-resolution maps support signal loss modelling which is characterised by the geo-spatial environment and identify buildings and clutter that impact mmWave propagation.

5G networks offer three distinct use cases for industry, each offering its own distinct benefits to users, communities and industry as a whole.

This tutorial gives a high-level overview of the features and functions available in HTZ Communications & HTZ Warfare.

View our 3-part 5G network planning webinar.

Often technology advancements and deep pockets win wars. However, good communication networks in the battlespace can be the difference between military success or failure. Nowadays, ministries of defence are compelled to assess their radio spectrum use to ensure their spectrum management practices reap maximum benefits. 

Defence & security communications have been an integral part of ATDI since its outset. The scope of this work ranges from auditing the use of military spectrum to advising and supporting studies on coexistence, releasing spectrum for commercial use and the reallocation of spectrum for reuse with other technologies.  

HTZ Warfare offers dedicated features for the defence and security markets including:

• Network simulation – for spectrum engineering tactical mission planning and analysis;
• Mission planning  – optimizing the path for a mobile seeker flying over a hostile area;
• Radar detection capability analysis – predicting the areas and elevations for radar coverage;
• Jamming efficiency analysis – identifying areas where the jammer can be effective in interrupting enemy communications;
• Automation capabilities – the ability to custom workflows to support different end-user requirements or system capabilities. This simplifies interfaces for software users who may not have a radio propagation background;
• UAV/UAS mission planning – including integration between ground-to-air and air-to-air services and ability to model coexistence with other communication service users;
• Dedicated military-functions – including direction finding, jamming and radar features;
• Network modelling – to model dynamic military scenarios and featuring ‘on-the-move’ capability;
• Flightpath RF simulation analysis – importing flight-path information and conducting propagation modelling and communication validation.

HTZ Warfare supports all technologies and functions for the defence and security markets, including:

• Path loss analysis
• Hand-over calculations
• Path budgets
• Traffic analysis
• Spectrum management & interference
• Optimal routes
• Repeater deployment
• Jamming efficiency

Check out how Drones are used in the military and defence sectors.

HTZ Communications

As the use of drones or unmanned aircraft (UAV) grow, businesses and Governments are seeing significant demand and growth in areas like transport, military, logistics and commercial sectors.

Drones are controlled by a ground control system (GSC) which operates remotely or autonomously. Wireless connectivity lets pilots view the drone and its surroundings from a birds-eye perspective. Users can also leverage apps to pre-program specific GPS coordinates and create an automated flight path for the drone. 

The data links use a radio-frequency (RF) transmission to transmit and receive information to and from the UAV. These transmissions share information like location, distance and location to target, distance to the pilot, payload information, airspeed, altitude and more. An autonomous drone can conduct a safe flight without the intervention of a pilot. 

HTZ Communications offers dedicated features for drone management including:

• Mission planning feature – one-stop solution to optimise a missile path where communications between the missile and Command Control can be jammed and detected by radar.
• Jamming efficiency analysis – identifying areas where the jammer can be effective in attacking drones;
• Drone-Controller localization – identifying areas where the controller can potentially share the flight path information;
• Radar detection capability analysis – predicting the areas and elevations where the Radar can detect a drone;
• Drone communication range analysis – import and analysis of flight paths for RF simulation;
• Flightpath RF simulation analysis – importing flight path information and conducting propagation modelling and communication validation;
• Reception analysis at different flight heights – pre-computing reception in a 3D environment for different elevations.

HTZ Warfare 

In the defence and security sector, UAVs are used as target decoys, for combat missions, research and development. Their growing use has reduced losses in the field and enables the execution of high profile and time-sensitive missions.

Anti-drone systems are used to detect or intercept unwanted unmanned aerial vehicles. More often, anti-drone technology is deployed to protect areas like airports, critical infrastructure, large public spaces and military installations and battlefield sites. 

Counter-drones are used to jam the signal between the drone and drone pilot. 

Check out our Counter-drone demo today.

Electromagnetic Spectrum (EMS) is widely used for military operations. Competing demands for radio spectrum means it must be strictly coordinated and controlled. Battlespace spectrum management is the planning, coordination and management of EMS, to enable military systems to perform their functions without causing or suffering from harmful interference.

Significant importance is placed on the performance of radio intercept receivers, direction finders and communications jamming equipment. Key features that determine the success of a mission is the ability to intercept or jam enemy communications. And similarly, to share information with the command structure without undue interference.

With over three decades of development, HTZ Warfare is a leading military network planning and EW modelling tool. This feature-specific software supports military units around the World. Key functions include:

• Examine links between communication assets and assess the performance of the link in detail. All simulations are based on proven, accurate simulation methods;
• Automated functions to manage repetitive studies and automatically calculate composite coverages and interference analysis;
• Move individual sites and analyse communication capabilities virtually instantly.
• Assess the impact of communication site failures and their impact on the network, so that contingency plans can be included as part of the normal system design process;
• Assess the risk of interception or jamming by known enemy electronic warfare assets;
• Identify network capabilities for moving elements, such as convoys, through hostile territory. Suitable locations for talk-through sites can be easily identified;
• Analyse the operating terrain by using 3D images of the battlefield from every angle;
• Support the complete design of communication networks, including the ability to minimise interference, assign frequencies and generate alternative communication plans;
• Electronic warfare for communications planning can be included by analysing intercept vulnerability, identifying the possible effects of enemy jamming and developing plans to overcome these factors;
• Network changes to any part of a network can be analysed and viewed virtually instantaneously. This includes the ability to assess the effect of failure or enemy action on the network. This supports mitigation planning and reduces the likelihood of communication failures in the field;
• Plans for the deployment of intercept receivers, including intercept coverage assessment and gap identification, maximising the efficiency of deployed sensors or minimising the assets assigned to a given objective;
• Deploy direction finders with best site searching, DF baseline coverage assessment and communications planning between assets. The system can be integrated with DF systems, so that DF hits can be displayed directly on the planner’s screen;
• Plan offensive communication jamming missions, including asset optimisation, communications planning and assessments of jamming effects on own communications systems;
• Determine the vulnerable points in known enemy communications systems and prioritise targets for attack.

HTZ warfare removes the complexity of calculations in the field and simplifies the user experience intuitively across a wide range of applications, including:

• Communications and control
• Special forces
• Transmission troops
• Frequency services
• Drones
• Radar coverage (including bi-static and multi-static radars)
• Radar countermeasure
• Direction finders
• Jamming
• Interception

Check out our BSMS company presentation.