E!9497 Gatehopper

The primary objective of the GateHopper project is to research, develop and demonstrate a new 10Gbps technology platform for reliable, secure and ultra-fast data-link that will meet the on-ground data transfer needs of both small and large airlines and for a wide range of aircraft sizes, types and data transfer needs. The project is responding to the growing demand for wireless data-transmission of e.g. cockpit flight data or entertainment system content. Data transfer is limited by both practical and safety concerns when the airplane is airborne so the bulk of data transmission must take place during the short on-ground window and thus requires extremely high transfer speeds. Current comparable wireless solutions can transfer data at rates of approximately 100Mbps, which is 100 times slower than the GateHopper approach. To increase the total time where the aircraft is connected, the GateHopper will connect to the aircraft while its taxiing on the runway, and keep the connection while it parks at the gate. The same technology shall ensure that the aircraft stays connected, regardless of its movement.

The aim of the GateHopper project is to research, develop and demonstrate a new 10Gbps technology platform for reliable, secure and ultra-fast data-links to meet the on-ground data transfer needs of both small and large airlines and for a wide range of aircraft sizes, types and data transfer needs. Our proposed technology platform builds on Free Space Optics (FSO), which offers an optical wireless alternative to optical fibre with an ability to support high capacity data communication. The technology has been around for decades, but the high costs of optical components and the bulkiness of available solutions have prevented the technology from addressing the need for high-speed airplane data-links. Through a previous successful EU-funded project, we developed a low cost FSO pilot product that works at 1Gbps, targeting markets like Fibre To The x (FTTx), and Small Cell Backhaul where fibre is too costly and too cumbersome. Our ultra-high-speed 10Gbps technology platform (GateHopper) will build on this experience and push forward the current state-the-art (SOA) solutions. We will advance SOA at two levels: the optical transceiver unit and the complete node unit in which up to 4 transceivers can be placed. The main results from the project will be: - Transceiver electronics utilising the latest, advanced components to increase data-transfer capacity to 10Gbps. - Discovery, alignment, and tracking software needed in order to discover an incoming aircraft and lock in on it. - A novel low-cost, high-reliability mirror developed in the ENIAC Lab4MEMS-II project will be adapted and integrated in the GateHopper platform. - The housing for transceivers and the complete nodes will be produced in polymer with considerations to the mechanical, power and input/output requirements of both the electronics and optical module. - Achieving proof-of-concept for a FSO data link within the avionics market by adhering to the specific technical and commercial market requirements