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

该研究团队将在ARA农村宽带无线生活实验室进行电磁（射频）频谱共享现场试验的初步研究，该实验室由NSF高级无线研究平台（PAWR）计划赞助。ARA位于爱荷华州中部，能够试验适合农村地区的新型频谱共享方法。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，因此用于农村地区的频谱共享解决方案可能与适用于城市或郊区的频谱共享解决方案不同。该项目的现场试验将提供经验教训，帮助提高现实世界的频谱使用效率，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。 考虑进行潜在现场试验的最初应用是频谱共享，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。无人机系统的运营，特别是依赖于可靠频谱接入的视线之外的运营，被认为是支持农村地区经济增长和公共安全的高回报能力。由于对服务的高可靠性要求，UAS CNPC目前仅限于一个小的保留频段，而UAS传感面临着与所有其他传感系统相同的频谱接入挑战。两个共享机会最初是感兴趣的：在非CNPC保留的频段中实现高可靠性的UAS CNPC，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;以及以保留CNPC容量和可靠性的方式将UAS传感活动添加到保留的UAS CNPC频段中。这些类型的频谱共享的成功将降低提供重要UAS功能的成本。关于如何扩展当前ARA功能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;使用可编程商用现成无线系统;支持自带设备实验，使其能够在安装ARA硬件无法访问的频带上运行。该项目中的传播测量将产生农村地区无线信道的真实测量结果。这些数据对于开发有效的频谱共享方法至关重要。该项目团队将公开分享成果，并与更广泛的SII-NRDZ社区积极合作，以帮助定义和实现国家无线电动态区愿景。该奖项反映了NSF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.