SESAR EXPLORATORY RESEARCH SAPIENT PROJECT OVERVIEW

The SESAR (Single European Sky ATM Research) Exploratory Research project called SAPIENT (Satellite and terrestrial architectures improving performance, security and safety in ATM) is a program of the SESAR Joint Undertaking under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement 699328 [1][2]. It aims at defining Satellite and Terrestrial Architectures improving performance security and Safety in ATM (Air Traffic Management) through new and innovative functionalities for future CNS (Communication, Navigation and Surveillance) and ATM systems and future European RPAS (Remotely Piloted Air System) C2/C3 satellite Data Link (DL) for governmental initiatives (C2 states for Command and Control, while C3 states Command, Control and Communications). In this context it has been defined SAPIENT which is a novel cost-effective and performance-efficient system solution for aeronautical communications, aimed at adapting and optimizing the capacity and safety performance of aeronautical communication applications, e.g. CPDLC (Controller-Pilot Data Link Communications) and ADS-C (Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Contract), in view of the estimated ‘status’ of air ground ATM SoL (Safety of Life) terrestrial and satellite datalinks over actual flown trajectories. To meet these targets, SAPIENT exploits the information on actual 4D aircraft trajectories – in terms of dynamic position in space and time – and performance data of ATM Air Ground Datalinks, produced by aircraft and other elements of the ATM Communication Infrastructure [3]. The innovative aspects addressed in the SAPIENT Project are related to the TAS-I patent “System for Aeronautical Safety of Life Applications Providing Adaptation of Services and Communication Resources for Maximized Safety and Capacity Performance” [4] . Significant references for the ATM Datalink aspects are the activities undergong in SESAR on VDL2 (VHF Digital Link Mode 2) [5] and other new generation digital datalinks and in ESA on Iris [7]. The SAPIENT solution is a multilink/data link monitor and control system. It is aimed at providing information on the aircraft perception of the operational layout goodness in order to correct or operate more effectively with respect to the ATM communication goals. The main objectives are: - Support the multilink function during the selection of the optimal data link; - Foresee retroaction on the in-use data link, and change the resources during the flight, according to information obtained through it and according to the information collected from the other SAPIENT system actors; - Retroact on multilink function in order to change the priority between data links (i.e. need of load balancing in a common coverage area with traffic hot spots). The use of the SAPIENT system is expected to positively impact: - The efficiency of the data-links management in a multilink environment, resulting in less resources needed by ATM communication system elements, with main focus on effective and efficient use of RF spectrum The Communication issues in the ATM air/ground links minimizing the need of tactical interventions from ATC (Air Traffic Control) and pilots to de-conflict situations - Communication issues in the RPAS C3 satellite DL minimizing the use of RPAS safety procedure that will limit the execution of the RPAS missions - The Air Navigation Service providing a cost saving obtained by improving the Air navigation Service productivity and the frequency band usage The aim of this paper is to present the SAPIENT reference architecture and system boundaries, the SAPIENT protocol and the main SAPIENT simulation results