Modeling of High-capacity Aeronautical Communication Networks with Free-space Optical Links

Airborne Communication Networks have been discussed in civilian and military contexts. However, radio-frequency-based implementations of large-scale, ad hoc networks are hindered by regulatory restrictions and are fundamentally limited in capacity potentials. Therefore, free-space optical communication is an important technology option for such networks, due to the large available bandwidth and unregulated spectrum. Here we present statistical data from an airborne communication network simulation model, discuss possible performance requirements on free-space optical components for airborne networks, and discuss the implications of network topology and communication range on network statistics.