Collaborative Research: SII-NRDZ: ARA-NRDZ: From Site and Application Investigation to Prototyping and Field Testing

该研究小组将在ARA农村宽带无线生活实验室进行电磁（射频）频谱共享的初步研究，该实验室由NSF高级无线研究平台（PAWR）项目资助。ARA位于爱荷华州中部，可以对适合农村地区的新型频谱共享方法进行试验。农村地区具有独特的频谱使用模式、传播特性、关键应用和社区需求，因此农村地区的频谱共享解决方案可能不同于适用于城市或郊区的解决方案。该项目支持的现场试验将提供经验教训，有助于提高实际频谱使用效率，降低频谱接入成本，并使农村社区能够参与应对农村宽带挑战。该项目还将为本科生和研究生以及K-12外展创造研究机会。考虑潜在现场试验的初始应用是频谱共享，以增强无人机系统（UAS）的控制和非有效载荷通信（CNPC）和传感功能。无人机作战，特别是依赖于可靠频谱接入的超视距作战，被设想为支持农村地区经济增长和公共安全的高回报能力。由于服务的高可靠性要求，中国石油天然气集团公司的UAS系统目前仅限于一个小的预留频段，而UAS传感系统也面临着与所有其他传感系统相同的频谱接入挑战。两种共享机会最初是令人感兴趣的：在非中石油保留的频段实现高可靠性的中石油无人系统，而其他用户也使用受控的高可靠性通信，例如连接的农业机器人；并以保持中石油容量和可靠性的方式将无人机传感活动添加到保留的中石油无人机波段中。这些类型的频谱共享的成功将降低交付重要UAS功能的成本。关于如何扩展当前ARA能力以支持未来频谱共享现场试验的技术研究包括：采用软件定义无线电；使用可编程的商用现成无线系统；并支持自带设备实验，可在已安装的ARA硬件无法访问的频段进行操作。该项目的传播测量将产生农村地区无线信道的真实测量值。这些数据对于开发有效的频谱共享方法至关重要。项目团队将公开分享结果，并积极与更广泛的SII-NRDZ社区合作，以帮助定义和实现国家无线电动态区愿景。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This research team will conduct preliminary studies leading to field trials of electromagnetic (radio-frequency) spectrum sharing at the ARA wireless living lab for rural broadband, which is sponsored by the NSF Platforms for Advanced Wireless Research (PAWR) program. Located in Central Iowa, ARA enables experimentation with novel spectrum sharing methods appropriate for rural areas. Rural areas have unique spectrum usage patterns, propagation characteristics, critical applications, and community needs, so spectrum sharing solutions for rural areas may differ from those appropriate for urban or suburban areas. The field trials enabled by this project will provide lessons learned that help improve real-world spectrum use efficiency, reduce spectrum access cost, and empower rural communities to participate in addressing the rural broadband challenge. This project will also create research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as K-12 outreach. The initial application considered for potential field trials is spectrum sharing to enhance the Control and Non-Payload Communications (CNPC) and sensing functions of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). UAS operations, especially beyond visual line of sight operations that depend on reliable spectrum access, are envisioned as a high-payoff capability supporting economic growth and public safety in rural areas. UAS CNPC is limited to a small, reserved band today because of the high reliability requirements for the service, while UAS sensing faces the same spectrum access challenges as all other sensing systems. Two sharing opportunities are initially of interest: achieving high reliability UAS CNPC in non-CNPC-reserved bands where other users also employ controlled, high-reliability communications, such as connected agricultural robots; and adding UAS sensing activities into the reserved UAS CNPC band in ways that preserve CNPC capacity and reliability. Success in these types of spectrum sharing will reduce the cost of delivering important UAS capabilities. Technical studies on ways to extended current ARA capabilities to support future spectrum sharing field trials include: adoption of software-defined radios; use of programmable commercial-off-the-shelf wireless systems; and support for bring-your-own-device experiments, enabling operation at frequency bands not accessible with the installed ARA hardware. Propagation measurements in the project will generate real-world measurements of wireless channels in rural regions. These data are essential for development of effective spectrum sharing methods. The project team will openly share results and actively collaborate with the broader SII-NRDZ community, to help define and realize the National Radio Dynamic Zones vision.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.