In collaboration with the California Air Nationwide Guard (CA ANG), Nationwide Guard Bureau (NGB), AT&T FirstNet, California Governor’s Workplace of Emergency Providers (OES), and the California Division of Forestry and Fireplace Safety (CAL FIRE), Common Atomics Aeronautical Techniques, Inc. (GA‑ASI) efficiently accomplished a flight demonstration of the Rosetta Echo Superior Payloads (REAP) Pod on an MQ-9A Remotely Piloted Plane (RPA). Throughout pure disasters, it’s pretty widespread for first responders and residents of affected areas to lose mobile communications on account of downed infrastructure. The REAP Pod offers probably lifesaving communications infrastructure from an plane, guaranteeing traces of communication stay open between suppliers of emergency companies and people desperately needing help.
This flight demonstration, held on Could 25, 2023, showcased bridged communications networks offering seamless connectivity between airborne and floor contributors. The system showcased the power to bridge VHF/UHF networks, perform as a P25 repeater, join geographically disparate cellular advert hoc networks (MANETs), and most significantly, present each FirstNet and emergency 911 mobile capabilities.
As California heads into its heavy wildfire season, the REAP Pod on CA ANG MQ-9As will present wanted communications to help CAL FIRE’s rescue efforts.
“GA-ASI is worked up to showcase the capabilities of the REAP Pod,” stated GA-ASI Vice President of Mission Payloads and Exploitation Satish Krishnan. “The CA ANG MQ-9As with REAP can guarantee CAL FIRE and different first responders preserve important communications infrastructure at a time when it’s most urgently wanted and will help save lives.”
The REAP Pod was developed via a collaboration between GA-ASI and Extremely Intelligence and Communications. The system contains a suite of superior communications gear that helps help catastrophe reduction operations, together with VHF/UHF Line of Sight (LOS), P25, MANET, FirstNet Mobile, and a high-bandwidth LOS backhaul. The REAP pod additionally has the power to help navy waveforms like Hyperlink 16.
As producer of the REAP Pod, GA-ASI goals to make sure the profitable preliminary deployment of the pod as an operational proof of idea. This deployment serves a bigger goal by advancing the implementation and effectiveness of the REAP Pod and setting the stage for potential adoption by the Air Nationwide Guard on the MQ-9A and the Military Nationwide Guard on MQ-1C Unmanned Plane Techniques (UAS).
