Patria, Insta complete UAV MPNDL data link flight

Patria and Insta have announced that they have successfully completed the first Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) test flights of the Multi Purpose Networking Data Link (MPNDL). The tests were carried out in connection with the Cassidian-led Agile UAV in a Network Centric Environment (Agile UAV NCE) test flight campaign.

Successful testing of MPNDL in an actual UAS scenario was another major milestone in the long-term development of a networking command and control data link designed to fulfil UAS communication related capability gaps faced in today’s Network Centric Environment, originally identified in the extensive Technology Study carried out for the European Defence Agency EDA during 2006.

Key features of MPNDL include multi-purpose reliable data transfer; variable throughput depending on selected AJ/LPI/LPD level; relaying for BLOS and range extension; flexible and robust network management; and full IP compatibility.

The technical implementation of MPNDL is a software defined radio, in which the functionalities are based on waveforms portable to the system hardware. Typical applications include transfer of command and control information, low-bandwidth motion imagery and low-latency digital voice. While originally developed for the UAS environment, due to its modular approach MPNDL can easily be adapted to various other applications as well.