RTCA DO-377
Minimum Aviation System Performance Standards for C2 Link Systems Supporting Operations of Unmanned Aircraft Systems in U.S. Airspace
| Organization: | RTCA |
| Publication Date: | 21 March 2019 |
| Status: | active |
| Page Count: | 310 |
scope:
PURPOSE AND SCOPE
This document contains the Minimum Aviation System Performance Standards (MASPS) for a C21 Link System connecting a Control Station (CS) and an Unmanned Aircraft (UA).2 It covers UA operations requiring a C2 Link System3 that allows the UA to operate within visual line of sight (VLOS) and beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) of a CS. The types of information that are exchanged over the C2 Link System include both:
The commands from the remote pilot,4 i.e., the telecommands sent over a forward link from the CS to the UA, and
The status and annunciations from a UA, i.e., the telemetry data sent over a return link from the UA to the CS, that are associated with all of the activities the remote pilot is required to perform to safely execute the flight plan. These safety-of-flight5 related information exchanges do not include normal payload information, i.e., the information associated with the UA mission payloads.
A more complete description of those information exchanges and the associated requirements on the C2 Link System are given within this MASPS.
1 Note: When the term "C2" is used as part of the name of a system, i.e., C2 Link System, the term "C2" is used as a noun and not as an abbreviation of the words "command and control". Where it is used not as part of a name, then it would be an abbreviation for command and control.
2 An Unmanned Aircraft (UA) is the physical aircraft that a remote pilot is operating.
3 A C2 Link System is the logical connection used for the exchange of information between a CS and an UA, to enable the remote pilot to safely operate the UA in the authorized U.S. airspace.
4 A remote pilot is the person who is operating an aircraft but is not physically on that aircraft. Within this document, this term is used instead of Pilot in Command (PIC) since PIC represents a legal responsibility not necessarily the pilot operating the aircraft.
5 Safety-of-flight information is any information/data sent to or received from the UA that is necessary to ensure the UAS is operated/operating in a manner that protects people and/or property from harm due to unintentional events.
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