OFDM based data link for the DLR research aircraft ATRA

In this paper the new broadband data link radio (B-DLR), developed for the German Aerospace Center (DLR) research aircraft is presented. The link shares strong similarities with the L-band communication system L-DACS1, also partly developed at DLR. The paper presents details concerning both the design and implementation of B-DLR. This includes a description of the physical layer as well as all protocol functionalities implemented in B-DLR in a single upper layer. Additionally, details about the requirements on the hardware and software necessary in order to set up a bi-directional data transmission in real time are given.