Radio Positioning System (RPS)

2018: Creation of the first control system for UAVs based on 4G

On February 20, 2018 the mobile operator Vodafone announced creation of the first-ever control system for UAVs using the 4G-modem and the built-in SIM card.

As explained in the company, the system of radio navigation under the name Radio Positioning System (RPS) allows operators to the UAV and authorized bodies controlling air traffic to keep track of location of drones with an accuracy of 50 meters.

RPS provides control over the UAV even in case of its disappearance from a line of sight and gives the chance to preestablish for flight border UAVs on which achievement the drone will automatically land or return to the place of start. Besides, using the system of Vodafone authorized bodies will be able to intercept control of drones and to change a trajectory of their flight or to force to landing in case of extreme or emergency situations. Also thanks to SIM cards a system will allow to register and identify owners of the UAV.

Vodafone announced creation of the first-ever control system for UAVs using the 4G-modem and the built-in SIM card

Within preliminary tests which were passed at the end of 2017 Vodafone using mobile networks 4G for the first time in the world could control flight of the UAV X-unmanned aerial vehicle in a big way of blades of 1.3 m and weighing 2 kg. During test flights in a radius of 32 kilometers around the city Isla Major, the province Seville, Spain, the drone shot HD video and transferred flight data, including the movement speed, data on location from the RPS system and GPS coordinates.

New tests which will be passed in Spain and Germany after approval of local authorities are planned for 2018 at Vodafone. Commercial implementation technologists of Vodafone for tracking and security of flights of UAVs is planned for 2019. The operator also expects to use the RPS system in other types of IoT-devices instead of GPS.^[1]

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