The ANTENNAE project explores the applicability of 3GPP telecommunications standards for delivering the full range of communication, navigation, and surveillance services to all classes of aircraft operating at low altitude while supporting key Air Traffic Management (ATM) and U-space stakeholders. The ANTENNAE solution looks at the use of 5G and next-generation (6G and beyond) cellular networks through a hybrid connectivity framework that integrates terrestrial (TN) and non-terrestrial (NTN) systems. The integrated CNS concept leverages efficient spectrum use to offer greater service resilience, improved connection capacity, and the service continuity needed for cost-efficient, safe aviation operations at low altitude.

Communication, navigation, and surveillance is the cardiovascular system of airspace management, enabling safe aviation operations in crowded airspace where thousands of aircraft are flying. CNS was originally designed for legacy high-altitude aircraft, with three fragmented and poorly integrated domains: “C?, “N?, and “S?. These three domains complement each other and underpin safe aviation operations by providing air navigation services. In the current CNS ecosystem, each domain operates independently, using distinct technologies, hardware, and frequency bands.

All three domains, “C?, “N?, and “S?, are equally important and essential for any stage of any flight and therefore are heavily integrated into the aircraft systems, making them the backbone of aviation.

Emerging U-space operations within the Innovative/Advanced Air Mobility concept are creating new challenges for the airspace by enabling a new generation of small, highly manoeuvrable, and highly automated aircraft to operate at low altitudes alongside legacy aviation users. Traditional CNS systems and their key technologies were designed for high-altitude aircraft and provide limited coverage at lower altitudes, where the next-generation aerial vehicles, including Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) Capable Aircraft (VCA), will fly for aerial work, logistics, human transportation, and public services. The legacy CNS technologies face challenges to meet the requirements of next-generation aircraft and U-space operations. The key challenges are as follows:

The growing UAS and VCA users at low altitude calls for an innovative, sustainable, and cost-effective CNS solution. Integrated CNS (ICNS) concept delivers the “C?, “N?, and “S? services through the same technology stack. This means that ICNS will eliminate the need for multiple onboard hardware devices, reducing the number of required network devices and the aircraft’s battery payload.” ICNS considers the C, N, and S domains as a harmonised framework. This new concept allows one domain to support and complement another domain. Given this, all systems for C, N, and S services might be combined and harmonised into a single system.” ICNS also helps minimise the carbon footprint of wireless systems.

The ANTENNAE project investigates the applicability of 3GPP telecommunications standards for delivering ICNS services at low altitude to support both piloted and U-space operations. To achieve this goal, the ANTENNAE project considers integrated terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks to deliver continuous coverage and a full range of CNS services to low-altitude operating aircraft, while supporting key aviation stakeholders.