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EnerLinksII® DVA

EnerLinksII® DVA

Easily Convert Analog FM Data Links to Digital

Most of today’s UAVs still use traditional analog FM video transmission in L-, S- or C-band. Compared to a well designed digital link, analog links require more bandwidth and have inferior range performance. Unwanted listeners using inexpensive and commercially available receivers can also tap analog links. The obvious fix would be to replace all analog transmission components with digital, but large fleets and an active war prevent this much needed digital changeover.
 
As an intermediate solution, the compact EnerLinksII Digital Video over Analog (DVA) module can easily convert these analog links to digital. Placed between the camera feed and the FM transmitter, the DVA digitizes and processes the video to produce what looks like an analog video signal to the FM transmitter. The FM transmitter treats the signal like composite video and transmits it to an EnerLinksIII receiver at the ground, which recovers the video, IP traffic, and metadata.
 
The logistical benefits of the EnerLinksII DVA are immense:
  • No changes to the RF hardware in the aircraft: RF transmitter, cables, antennas, and filters
     all left as is
  • Analog video bypass mode enables ground personnel to run the the aircraft transmitter in a legacy analog mode if a DVA receiver is not available
  • EnerLinksIII receiver can also receive analog FM video for aircraft without digital upgrades
  • Upgrade one aircraft at a time and one ground unit at a time, when convenient 
  • DVA waveform is interoperable with EnerLinksIII, so the same seamless migration path can continue to a full duplex link with even more capability

More ISR Data Link Capacity and Operating Range
 
The DVA system provides simultaneous transmission of high-quality, compressed H.264 video and UDP/IP network traffic in far less bandwidth than analog video. The EnerLinksIII receiver provides up to four times the range with no change in transmitter power, and  it can reduce channel spacing to only 5 MHz, compared to 20-30 MHz for analog FM video.

 
Frame Aligned Metadata
 
The DVA can deliver metadata time aligned to the exact frame per MISB-STD-0604.1, for reception and processing by third party exploitation systems. Time alignment is critical for applications such as targeting that require accurate position information.

 
High Definition Digital ISR Video Over Analog
 
ViaSat now offers the DVA concept in 1080p30 or 720p60 High Definition video with all the same benefits of bandwidth reduction and range extension.


©2012 ViaSat, Inc.