uAvionix SkyLink5060 Capital Aircraft Services Installation Guide

uAvionix SkyLink5060 Capital Aircraft Services Installation Guide

Introduction

SkyLink5060 is an aviation-protected C-Band (5030-5091 MHz) bi-directional, Multiple Input Single Output (MISO) dual Control and Non-Payload Communications (CNPC) radio system. Compliant with the RTCA DO-362A standard, SkyLink5060 provides the information exchange required for operators to safely control, monitor, and manage Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).

SkyLink5060 and SkyStation5060 radios seamlessly integrate with the uAvionix SkyLine infrastructure, the first enterprise managed command and control (C2) network. Skyline includes autonomous make-before-break roaming between SkyStation5060 ground radios and applications for planning, operating, and monitoring real-time missions.

System Overview

SkyLink5060 Kit Components

SkyStation5060 and SkyLink5060 Radio Systems

Each SkyLink radio system is a purpose-built diversity system with two receive channels and one transmit channel. The system includes built-in link management that handles remote configuration and performance statistics.

User Data Link

• Transparent bi-directional CNPC data link between GRS and ARS

Control Data Link

• Link management signaling between GRS and ARS including roaming functions when passing pilot control from Serving GRS to Target GRS.

SkyLink Hub

The SkyLink Hub provides a GPS receiver, power supply, communications, and network access to the ground system.

truFYX GPS

The truFYX provides GPS signal to the SkyLink5060 airborne radio system (ARS). Internal and external mount configurations are available.
Figure 1 shows a typical system with a SkyStation5060 Ground Radio System (GRS) and a SkyLink5060 Airborne Radio System (ARS) managed by uAvionix SkyLine infrastructure.

Installation

SkyStation5060 Ground Radio System (GRS)

Mounting SkyStation5060 GRS

The SkyStation5060 GRS Mounting Bracket is angled 6 degrees upward to maximize airborne coverage.

1. Secure the angled SkyStation5060 GRS Mounting Bracket to a pole with the included stainless steel hose clamps.
2. Align the GRS with the Mounting Bracket and slide the GRS into place over the end of the bracket. The bracket will now hold the GRS in place.
3. Use the included mounting screw to fasten the GRS to the
4. Attach the GRS Directional Antennas, tighten, and adjust
5. A directional arrow on the end cap of each antenna denotes the transmit and receive direction of the antenna. The antennas have 110 degrees of horizonal sector coverage (55 degrees on either side of the directional arrow). Point both antenna arrows in the direction of your operational area for best performance.

Mounting SkyLink Hub

The SkyLink Hub Mounting Bracket is not angled. The Hub mounts perpendicular to the pole, and the GPS antenna should point up. Position the hub away from the GRS to avoid interference.

1. Fasten the Hub Mounting Bracket to a pole with the included stainless steel hose
2. Align the Hub with the Mounting Bracket and slide the Hub into
3. Use the included mounting screw to fasten the Hub to the

Connections

Ensure that the two directional antennas or RF loads are attached to

both RF ports on the SkyStation5060 GRS before powering on.
Connect SkyStation5060 GRS to the SkyLink Hub and connect the Hub to a POE++ switch with network access.

__

2| NAV| IN| OUT
3| CTRL RX| IN| OUT
4| CTRL TX| OUT| IN
5| PWR| 24V| 24V
6| USER RX| IN| OUT
7| USER TX| OUT| IN
8| PPS| IN| OUT

Connect the SkyLink Hub to the network via POE++ using the provided M12 X-Coded ethernet cable.
Table 2 – SkyLink Hub POE Specifications

POE Specifications

Standard| 802.3bt POE++
Maximum Power| 60W
Voltage Range| 37 – 57V
Maximum Current| 350mA
Maximum Cable Resistance| 20Ω
Supported Cabling| Shielded Cat 5
Supported Modes| Mode A (endspan), Mode B (midspan)
Power Management| Power Class 6
Maximum Cable Length| 100 meters

Caution!

Absolute maximum DC voltage +57 V to the HUB. Higher DC voltage will permanently damage the equipment.

SkyLink5060 Airborne Radio System (ARS)

Ensure that the two omni antennas or RF loads are attached to both RF

ports on the ARS before powering on.

Mounting SkyLink5060 ARS

Install the SkyLink5060 ARS in the airframe in a location that allows easy access to the autopilot and minimal RF coax length for antenna installation. Ensure ample clearance for the cooling fan in the mounting location.
Install the omni antennas in a vertical orientation on the airframe in a location that reduces shadowing and interference between the omni antenna and the GRS. Ideally one antenna on opposite sides of the airframe. Refrain from installing the antennas near other antennas or other electronic equipment already on the airframe to reduce EMI.
The truFYX GPS needs to be installed on top of the airframe in a location that reduces shadowing and allows a clear view of the sky.

 Connections

The SkyLink5060 ARS offers seamless integration with the uAvionix George autopilot line, Pixhawk, Piccolo, or any autopilot that has an available RS-232 communication line.1
A wire harness is included with the following three terminations (see Figure 7 ARS Wiring Harness):

• GPS source for truFYX
• User data link for autopilot connection
• Control data link for ARS device setup and configuration

24v power source can be supplied through either the User data link or Control data link connector.
Connection to an autopilot is done via the User data link to an available telemetry or serial port. The SkyLink ARS uses RS-232 levels and has a default rate of 57600 8N1

George Autopilot

Connection to George autopilot will be made using serial 1 on the autopilots. For more information on George G2i and George G3 pinout, please review the respective manuals at https://uavionix.com/products/george/

Pixhawk Autopilot

When connecting to a Pixhawk, use the included RS-232 to TTL adapter. Connect the Pixhawk via the User data link. SkyLink must have an external 24v power supply connected through the Control data link as the Pixhawk will not supply 24v.
The Figure below shows each component and its corresponding pinout.

Configuration

SkyLinkHUB

SkyLink Hub settings are accessed via web browser from a PC or mobile device on the same Local Area Network (LAN) as the powered SkyLink Hub. The IP address assigned by the DHCP server is the base URL. An IP scanner, such as Advanced IP Scanner, can be used to find the IP address of the Hub. MAC addresses are printed on the Hub label.
Navigate to http://###.###.###.###/
NOTE: “###.###.###.###” is the IP address of the SkyLink Hub.

Settings

IP Address

| Default 0.0.0.0 sets the GRS Hub to server mode.

A valid IP Address to set the SkyLink Hub to client mode, and the Hub will attempt an outbound

connection to the IP Address.

User Port| TCP port for User data link. Default is 42430
Control Port| TCP port for Control data link. Default is 42431

Press the Save button to store the settings changes. These fields are non- volatile and persist through power cycles.

Network Configuration

Advanced settings for network administrators.
On the main Hub settings page, click the “Network Configuration” link under Settings.
The “Network Configuration” settings are only used if the SkyLink Hub is connected to a network without a DHCP server. These settings are ignored in a typical system.

In a network without DHCP, set the IP Address field to assign a static IP to the SkyLink Hub.
Fill in the appropriate values for Subnet, Gateway, and DNS in the network and press Save.
Note: If you add DHCP to your network or plug the Hub into a DHCP network, these values will be ignored, and the DHCP server will assign values. Using these static network settings within a DHCP network is not supported.

SkyStation5060 Ground Radio System (GRS)

Open the uAvionix SkyLinkApp application using a Windows computer with network access to your SkyStation5060 GRS.Input the IP Address of your SkyLink Hub and the Control Port from the SkyLink Hub Settings page in the “COM Settings” box.
Optionally, next to “Device Name,” type in a name for the radio and press Save. This allows for quick switching between different radio connections.
When the radios are linked, status data is shown for both the local and the remote radios on the “Status tab.”

GRS Configuration

In SkyLinkApp, navigate to the Configuration Tab. This page is used for device settings and setup as well as selecting the Frequency scheme for the system. The frequency used MUST be within 5031 and 5091 MHz

Station Type| SkyLink GRS = Ground SkyLink ARS = Air

SkyLink GRS with SkyLine = Infrastructure

---|---
Hop Table| *Configure radio frequency.
Versions| Get version details from connected SkyLink radios

*SkyLine will automatically configure a match frequency for the GRS(s) being used with the paired ARS. ARS(s) are assigned a specific frequency and the GRS(s) used must match to create a link. To change the frequency manually, double click the text in the “Freq” of the Hop Table at “Idx” position 0. Then enter your frequency in Hz Ex: 5,056,000,000 Hz. Only configure the top frequency in the Hop Table. Click “Save Hop Table to Radio” to save frequency configuration.

SkyLink5060 Airborne Radio System (ARS)

Connect the ARS Control data link termination to the provided serial connector. Connect the serial connector to a Windows computer.
Open the uAvionix SkyLinkApp application.
In the “COM Settings” box, next to Mode, choose “Serial” then select the “Port” that corresponds with the connected radio (i.e. COM1).
Optionally, next to “Device Name,” type in a name for the radio and press “Save.” This allows for quick switching between different radio connections.

ARS Configuration

ARS are delivered preconfigured with an assigned frequency which is provided, and with an airborne configuration. If the frequency of the ARS needs to be adjusted, follow the same steps for configuring the frequency on the GRS in section Error! Reference s ource not found.. DO NOT change the station type of the ARS without first consulting uAvionix support. Station type of the SkyLink5060 ARS should ALWAYS be configured to “Airborne.”

Operation

Radio Link

To link the SkyStation5060 GRS and the SkyLink5060 ARS radios, both need to be configured to the same frequency scheme, have a GPS position lock, and a PPS timing signal.
To verify link, connect the GRS to the SkyLinkApp and go to the Status Tab. When the data arrives, skyLinkApp will begin graphing the radio link statistics.

Mission Planner Example

1. Connect the skyLink5060 ARS to an Autopilot via the User data link

2. Verify the ARS and GRS have a link

3. Open ArduPilot Mission Planner

4. In the communication drop down menu (upper right corner), select

5. Press

6. Enter the IP Address of the SkyLink Click OK.

7. Enter the User TCP Port of the SkyLink Click OK.

8. Mission Planner will connect and display aircraft and telemetry

Piccolo Command Center Example (PCC)

1. Open PCC and when the PCC communication pop-up appears, Select “Network Server.” If the communications pop-up does not appear, choose
   “Communications” from the “File” menu.

2. In the “Server” window, enter the IP address of the SkyLink Hub followed by the User Port separated by a colon. Ex: “XX.XXX.XXX.XX:00000”

3. Press “OK” and verify communication between PCC and the Piccolo Autopilot

Firmware Update

Hub Firmware Update

Navigate to the SkyLink Hub webpage found in section Error! Reference source not f ound.. Hub firmware can be updated by clicking the Update link under Firmware Information.

Choose the appropriate file to upload and click Start Update

Note: The update is canceled if the Hub is powered off or the webpage is closed. Wait for the Hub to reboot before proceeding.
When the file transfer is complete, click the Main Page link to return to the SkyLink Hub Settings page. The version number on the Configuration Webpage should reflect the firmware version uploaded.

SkyStation5060 GRS Radio Firmware Update

The SkyStation5060 GRS Radio firmware can be updated via the SkyLinkApp.
Connect the GRS to the SkyLinkApp following the steps in section. Press Radio FW Update in the upper right corner of SkyLinkApp. A new window will open.
Press Select File and select the correct firmware file.
Press Connect. When the GRS is connected, the Product Information window will populate with the current radio information and the PingBoot Status in the bottom left will change to “Idle.
Press Flash. DO NOT power off or disconnect the device until the flash is complete.

SkyLink5060 Radio Firmware Update

DO NOT POWER ON RADIO WITHOUT ANTENNA OR RF LOADS ATTATCHED
The SkyLink5060 ARS firmware is updated using the pingBootFlasher application. Open PingBootFlasher and press Select File and select the correct firmware file.
Connect the ARS via the CTRL port to a PC using the provided serial to USB adapter. Supply 24v of power to the radio.
On the pingBootFlasher application, select the proper COM port from the “Port” dropdown.

Press Connect. When the ARS is connected, the Product Information window will populate with the current radio information and the PingBoot Status in the bottom left will change to “Idle.”
Press Flash. DO NOT power off or disconnect the device until the flash is complete.

Support

For support visit https://uavionix.com/support/

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References

• George - uAvionix
• Support - uAvionix

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