The high level of safety in aviation is based on globally standardized communication and navigation systems that meet, among other things, the ICAO standards on testing ground-based radio navigation systems (ICAO Doc 8071).
Since 2018, ICAO Doc 8071 suggests that unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) should be assessed to determine their capability to conduct air-navigation (Air-Nav) aids inspection in a cost-effective manner. In recognizing the growing demand for UAV-based air navigation testing, R&S developed the R&S®EVSD1000, an UAV optimized receiver for performing ILS, VOR, DME, GBAS and ATC communication measurements with lab instrument precision. The R&S®EVSD1000 also features an air-to-ground datalink, real-time recording and gapless measurements with increased location accuracy.
For several years, Techno Sky, an ENAV group Company responsible for the maintenance of ATM facilities in Italy, has partnered with Rohde & Schwarz. Recently, Techno Sky has obtained authorization from ENAC (Italian Civil Aviation Authority) to provide UAV based VOR and ILS ground inspections at all Italian civil airports with the R&S®EVSD1000.
Furthermore, this authorization, following the EASA format specified in European Regulation 947/2019, is valid for operations at all EU airports.
Challenges associated with UAV-based air navigation testing range from technical criteria to obtaining regulatory approvals.
Accurately measuring and analyzing RF air navigation signals in an airport ground-inspection area, amidst strong ATC signals with a drone (UAV) presents technical challenges, that require a sufficiently high RF receiver dynamic range as well as strong interference rejection filtering.
As airports and airport authorities move from proof-of-concept studies to fully automated UAV air-navigation testing, new regulations and approvals are needed to allow airport based automated UAV operation and control, including emergency UAV flight termination, equipment performance in various weather conditions and hazardous impact dynamics.
Finally, UAV based RF air navigation measurements need to provide high repeatability and meet stringent ICAO standards.
Since December 2017, Techno Sky has experimented with an innovative multi-copter drone solution for the ground inspection of instrumental landing systems (ILS) signals at airports together with Italian CAA (ENAC). The purpose of the research was to verify the feasibility of replacing the ground check vehicles (GCV), which were typically used to perform such activity, with a drone equipped with R&S receiver R&S®EVSD1000.
The objective was fully achieved during several tests performed at the Brescia Montichiari and Forlì Airports, and, in February 2020, ENAC declared the full compatibility of the UAV-based measurement in line with ICAO prescriptions.
In July 2021, ENAC issued an operational authorization to perform ILS ground check with UAVs in beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) conditions at Turin Caselle airport. Finally, in July 2022, ENAC released an authorization to perform ILS inspection in BVLOS conditions at all single runway airports. So far, Techno Sky is the only UAV operator authorized in Europe to fly in BVLOS conditions within airport environment.
The collaboration between Techno Sky and Rohde & Schwarz has been a key in the success of the project, as the Techno Sky UAV maintenance manager Claudio Fausto Petrachi and UAV Flight Operations Manager Michele D’Onofrio stated:
“R&S receivers have allowed us to create this innovative UAV based ILS inspection solution. Since 2017, this solution has allowed us to evolve maintenance activities by replacing traditional ground check vehicles. The new R&S®EVSD1000 receiver will further reduce costs and make the UAV solution more compact, lighter and high performing, thereby extending the ILS measurement capabilities.”
Techno Sky is currently using the DVI2AM® drone for VOR, ILS and airport infrastructure ground-based inspection extensions at several Italian airports such as Turin Caselle, Milan Linate, Venice Tessera, Brescia Montichiari and Verona Villafranca. These extensions eliminate the need for part 23 flight time. Techno Sky is testing these systems and with these conditions:
Additionally, Techno Sky has developed a unique DVI2AM® docking station, that provides innovative fast deployment and fully automated operations:
The table below, compares results from and benefits of the DVI2AM® VOR, ILS ground inspection (GI) tests with the same GI tests performed from a vehicular platform:
| DVI2AM® VOR, ILS GI | Vehicular GI | |
|---|---|---|
| VOR test time | ~ 5 minutes | ~ 20 minutes |
| ILS (LOC+GP) TX1 and TX2 test time | ~ 30 minutes | ~ 50 minutes |
| Capex costs | Low | High |
| Opex costs | Low | High |
| Airport runway clearance | ~ 2 minutes | ~ 15 minutes |
| LOC displacement sensitivity & Off-course clearance | ~ 5 minutes | Not possible |
R&S®EVSx Product Family namely the R&S®EVSG1000, R&S®EVSF1000 and R&S®EVSD1000 are based on the same hardware and software offering RF performance with lab instrument precision and best in class measurement correlation - a key ICAO and customer requirement.
Rohde & Schwarz market segment manager Deon Pfafferott: “In partnering with Techno Sky, Rohde & Schwarz is pleased to recognize the launch of the first fully automated UAV based high precision VOR and ILS ground inspection solution in Europe - a field leading achievement which is also approved by ENAC (Italian Civil Aviation Authority) and in accordance with the ICAO standards”..
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