Optical Communications for High-Altitude Platforms

This paper contains a review of technologies, theoretical studies, and experimental field trials for optical communications from and to high-altitude platforms (HAPs). We discuss the pointing, acquisition, and tracking of laser terminals and describe how laser beams with low divergence can be used t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:IEEE journal of selected topics in quantum electronics 2010-09, Vol.16 (5), p.1058-1070
Main Authors: Fidler, Franz, Knapek, Markus, Horwath, Joachim, Leeb, Walter R
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptive optics
Atmosphere
Atmospheric measurements
Communication systems
Diversity reception
Error analysis
Fiber lasers
Free-space optical (FSO) communication
high-altitude platform (HAP)
Laser beams
Laser theory
Lasers
Optical communication
optical components
Optical fiber communication
Platforms
Qualifications
Quantum electronics
system analysis and design
Systems design
Terminals
terrestrial atmosphere
Tracking
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Description
Summary:This paper contains a review of technologies, theoretical studies, and experimental field trials for optical communications from and to high-altitude platforms (HAPs). We discuss the pointing, acquisition, and tracking of laser terminals and describe how laser beams with low divergence can be used to transmit data at multi-Gigabits per second. Investigating the influence of the atmosphere, background light, and flight qualification requirements on system design, we explain why the data rates in free-space optical communications are still significantly below those possible in today's terrestrial fiber-based systems. Techniques like forward-error correction, adaptive optics, and diversity reception are discussed. Such measures help to increase the data rate or link distance while keeping the bit error ratio and outage probability of the optical HAP communication system low.
ISSN:1077-260X
1558-4542
DOI:10.1109/JSTQE.2010.2047382