How do you guarantee mission-critical communication between an air traffic control centre and a remote communications tower across 18 km of hot desert terrain – where temperatures exceed 50 °C and no other technology can maintain stability? For the UAE’s Civil Aviation Authority, the answer was RAy.
https//www.racom.eu/ru/case/ultra-reliable-air-traffic-control-connectivity-for-the-uae
Challenge: Long-Distance ATC Communication Across Harsh Desert Conditions
The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) is responsible for:
- regulation and supervision of civil aviation across the UAE
- en-route navigation services
- flight safety
- coordination of communication infrastructure for airports and towers
At Fujairah Airport, communication between the air traffic control centre, and the critical communications tower was unstable and unreliable. The tower hosts:
- voice communication systems for aircraft
- navigation systems
- other essential ATC services
Reliable connectivity was essential, but two major problems made this difficult:
- a long 18 km distance
- hilly terrain between the sites
- extreme desert temperatures above 50 °C
Several solutions were tested, but none could provide the reliability required for ATC operations.
Solution: RAy 11 GHz Microwave Link with High-Gain 90 cm Antennas
After a full transmission analysis performed by RACOM, the proposed solution was:
- RAy microwave units
- operating in the 11 GHz band
- using 90 cm antennas to maximise link margin
Why RAy was selected:
- outstanding receiver robustness and sensitivity
- high throughput even in challenging propagation conditions
- resistance to interference
- every unit is climate-chamber tested for desert temperatures
- reliable performance on long-distance links
GCAA approved the proposal and installed the RAy link. A RACOM engineer was prepared to assist onsite, but the installation went so smoothly that support was not required.
Results: Zero Downtime Since 2015
Since the link went operational in 2015, it has delivered:
- 0 minutes of downtime
- stable –65 dBm RSSI
- flawless voice and data communication
- reliable support for ATC and carrier operations
- significant improvement in operational confidence
GCAA reports high satisfaction with the quality, stability and resilience of the link, which has become a crucial component of the region’s air navigation infrastructure.
RAy continues to ensure safe, uninterrupted communication in one of the world’s hottest and most demanding operational environments.
