About the project Final Demonstrator Architecture

6G-SKY

6G for Connected Sky project aims at solutions to enable reliable and robust connectivity for aerial and ground users via flexible and adaptive network architecture adopting multiple technologies such as satellite and direct air to ground communication (DA2GC). In addition, this project focuses on novel wireless network design and management schemes in 3-dimensional (3D) space including different types of flying vehicles with their unique requirements. Another focus is to provide robust, low latency and/or high-capacity communications to ground users in the rural areas without any infrastructure via non terrestrial networks (NTNs), which are already initially introduced in 5G.

The project is divided into 6 work packages.
To see the details of each work package please click on a card below.

Work Package 0

Project Management

Lead: Airbus, Technical coordinator: KTH

Work Package 1

Holistic Adaptive NTN Architecture for 6G

Lead: Ericsson AB

Work Package 2

Multi-Technology Connectivity Links

Lead: Deutsche Telekom

Work Package 3

3D Wireless Network Design and Management

Lead: Ericsson Hungary

Work Package 4

NTN for Terrestrial Users

Lead: Fraunhofer IIS

Work Package 5

Integration, Demonstrations and Lab Emulations

Lead: Lakeside Labs

Work Package 0

Airbus, Technical coordinator: KTH

This work package deals with technical and administrative management of the project.

Work Package 1

Holistic Adaptive NTN Architecture for 6G

The WP1 for Holistic adaptive NTN architecture for 6G consists of several tasks including: a) usecases, scenarios & regulations, b) business modeling for 6G service provisioning, c) Holistic adaptive NTN architectures with multi-technology communication links for 6G, d) Joint sensing, communication and computation in 3D, e) Safe and explainable AI for adaptive and robust communications and f) Safety and security for flying UEs. WP1 will review the needs for several types of aerial platforms such as drones, hybrids, commercial airplanes, HAPS, HIBS, and satellites. These platforms can vary in altitude and also take on several communications roles (UE/relay/eNodeB) as well as vary in communication services over time.

Deliverables:

D1.1 NTN use cases, security frameworks and regulations
D1.2 First draft of NTN architectures for low altitude platforms for UAM and rural areas
D1.3 First draft of NTN architectures with focus on commercial airplanes, HAPS, HIBS, and satellites.
D1.4 Safety and security
D1.5 Final report on holistic adaptive NTN architectures for the 6G that supports intervened physical, digital and human worlds
D1.6 Business modeling

Work Package 2

Multi-Technology Connectivity Links

Link level wireless connectivity technologies will be studied in this work package including the antenna design. For seamless communication in the air, technologies of connectivity’s, which allows optimal communication between all types of devices in the lower and higher altitudes, for flying and for stationary objects are in the consideration in this WP. The demand is for higher capacity 6G A2A and A2G links enabled by mix of various radio technologies including Terahertz, mmWave communications and the usage of intelligent reflecting surfaces. The main goal of this work package is to define and proof the best link parameter and antenna systems for the different challenges of the various communication channels. Link level technologies investigated and developed in this WP will be an input for 3D network design and management for flying objects in WP3 and for design of NTN for terrestrial users in WP4.

Deliverables:

D2.1 A2A, A2G, NTN HAPs, and NTN satellite links for 6G
D2.2 Simulation results of the antenna systems

Work Package 3

3D Wireless Network Design and Management

WP3 targets 3D wireless network design and management implementing the needs of a holistic adaptive network architecture in strong cooperation with WP1. WP3 defines how to a) integrate network layers, b) allocate resources in a balanced way and minimize interference, and c) control their mobility among domains considering satellite, DA2G, A2A communications and usage of different frequency bands. WP3 also provides solutions for the coordination and communication needs of UAVs with special focus on flying in swarms. WP3 solutions are primarily designed for air-borne UEs, but envisaged to capture the co-existence problem of air-borne and terrestrial UEs sharing the same spectrum resources. This forms a bridge to WP4 and WP5 activities.

Deliverables:

D3.1 Challenges of 3D wireless network design and management
D3.2 Most promising tracks of 3D wireless network design and management
D3.3 Final report on 3D wireless network design and management

Work Package 4

NTN for Terrestrial Users

WP4 aims at 3D network design and management, considering the Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) specific system aspects in 6G, covering the communication from HAPS and satellites to terrestrial users on or near the ground. On one hand, the network design and NTN specific architecture split into airborne/space and ground segment is covered. On the other hand, the system performance will be evaluated for terrestrial users in simulations of heterogeneous networks, covering a multitude of applications types from the eMBB, mMTC and critical communication.

Deliverables:

D4.1 System architecture and network design aspects for NTN-based communication for terrestrial users
D4.2 Initial report on NTN system level simulations
D4.2 Final report on NTN system level simulations

Work Package 5

Integration, Demonstrations and Lab Emulations

click here to watch the TV reportage about 6G-SKY drones demo and other related information

In WP5 we will test and demonstrate the technical components as well as the 6G-SKY architecture that was developed in WP1–4. Necessary hardware components for the tests will be developed (e.g. UAVs for swarming, antenna designs for flying vehicles, DA2GC and HAPs connectivity links, etc.) as a first step. Communication technologies capturing multi-technology, multi-link 3D network integration, swarm control methods and required hardware components will be integrated into demonstrators for subsequent proof of concept tests. We will first demonstrate the technologies in lab emulations before experimental tests for particular use cases that planned to be addressed. We will assess the functionality of different HAPS links, multi-technology/multi-link networks involving terrestrial and different aerial entities (satellites, HAPS, UAVs, etc.), different sense and avoid approaches for urban air-mobility as well as communication and sensing with a swarm of drones for a mobility use case. The result will be the documented proof of functionality of the 6G-SKY architecture and its components.

Deliverables:

D5.1 Demo concept and planning
D5.2 Demonstrators, reports of results and videos

NEWS

The international consortium of Celtic-Next comprises 17 partners from Sweden, Austria, Germany and Hungary and is led by Airbus. They complement each other very well in the value chain of the future 6G-Sky 3D systems and cover the communication areas via terrestrial, non-terrestrial networks, aerospace industry with LEO, GEO satellites and High Altitude Platforms (HAPs), as well as antennas development and software for Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management (UTM).
Click on a country to get more information

SWEDEN

Sweden has a leading role in telecommunications with large enterprises and prominent universities; it has been contributing to development of 5th generation cellular network technology. For instance, the first 5G network in Sweden with commercial 5G products from Ericsson has been on air in collaboration with KTH since June 2018, who are also the partners of 6G Sky Project along with Skysense and SAS. 6G-SKY project should propose holistic and integrated network architectures to provide connectivity services to different types of users in the sky and the ground.

AUSTRIA

Austria is dominated by alpine topography and comprises mainly of rural defragmented areas. The alpine terrain can present challenges for transportation and logistics and increase infrastructure costs. Hence, mobile cellular infrastrucure plays a vital role in the development of economic sectors such as mobility, production, logistics, energy supply. In the process of digital transformation of the industry, transportation and logistics systems, the Austrian 6G Sky partners Lakeside Labs, twins, RED Bernard and Logistik Center Austria Süd are developing flexible communication solutions that can dynamically adapt and provide reliable communication and connectivity at high coverage in rural regions.

HUNGARY

Hungary considers innovation as fundamental need to be successful. It is a national goal to make Hungary an innovation leader in Europe by 2030. A program called Digital Success Program was launched to support, steer and harmonize the digitization processes in the country. 6G-SKY focus research areas, such as AI and industrial IoT, in which two Hungarian partners, Ericsson Hungary and AITIA, are specializing overlap with those of the governmental program. Furthermore, achievements foreseen from 6G-SKY project would be directly important for Hungary to enable further expansion of logistics and manufacturing industry.

GERMANY

German government is prompting digital transformation and investing heavily in R&D of digital technologies, including 5G / 6G communication. Germany with its six project partners Airbus Defence and Space, Fraunhofer Institut für Integrierte Schaltungen IIS, Ericsson Antenna Technology (EAG), Deutsche Telekom, Motius and Meshmerize set itself the ambitioned goal of catching up with the world leading technology countries in 6G R&D. With the update of enhanced RAN concepts for dynamic, hybrid 6G networks, preparation of future input to international standardization bodies towards 6G (e.g. 3GPP, ETSI) within the scope of 6G Sky the standing of Germany in the mobile community will increase. In addition, German partners will benefit from international contacts that will provide options to reach the other European markets and beyond.