Network Creation & Connection
Routers and switches are related devices that enable communications via Ethernet and IP. Switches connect different devices together within a network, allowing them to communicate with each other. Routers connect multiple networks together, including a LAN (local area network) to the Internet. Devices that combine a router and switch into one are also available.
Flexible Data Transfer
Large drones and unmanned systems can generate a large amount of data, from subsystems such as imaging sensors, radar, and specialist SIGINT (signals intelligence) and C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) sensors. This data may have to be transferred to onboard storage devices or transmitted to control stations, server centres or other vehicles via radio.
This data transfer within the vehicle has traditionally been achieved via fixed bus architecture designs. Ethernet provides some advantages over these inflexible dedicated architectures – the technology is widespread and well-supported, and Ethernet devices are interoperable, allowing for a high degree of modularity. Common protocols cut down on the amount of data formatting that must take place.
Rugged Routers & Switches
Drone routers and switches may support Fast Ethernet (10/100 Mbps) or Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000 Mbps) technologies. Due to the SWaP (size, weight and power) constraints of UAVs and unmanned systems, these devices will typically be optimized to be compact and lightweight. Rugged routers and switches may also be engineered to operate in harsh environments, and may conform to military standards such as MIL-STD-704E and MIL-STD-1275B.