In August, the ICAO WG F (Frequency) held a special meeting in Malmö to anticipate following PT3 and ITU-R WG 8B meetings. Even if the debates conducted in such a meeting are always made under the name of the attendees and not considered as official positions, it can be noticed that the important following points were raised :

• The ICAO WG F secretary agreed that the official ICAO position remains unclear concerning the terms used to consider the importance of telemetry and telecommand links (WRC agenda item 1.5). ICAO considered first these links as not "safety". After debates, it was precised that ICAO official position was only to designate telemetry and telecommand links as not "safety and regularity of flight" (AM(R)S definition). This precision is completely in accordance with the WRC 07 agenda item terms (AMS for 1.5 and AM(R)S for 1.6) and does not preclude other characteristics of telemetry and telecommand links which could be "safety of life and property" or "aeronautical security" depending upon the nature of data transmitted.
• Many debates were also conducted related to the use of the MLS band for the air flight tests. As previously expressed, future commercial flight tests will require a global bandwidth of 60 MHz and the 5 GHz is a serious candidate band. ICAO WG F experts were reluctant to open the core MLS band (5030-5090 MHz) for this use. On the other hand, ICAO WG F secretary estimated that a possibility could exist in the extension MLS band ( 5090 – 5150 MHz). He also outlined that ICAO needs to obtain from all its countries members evidence showing that the core MLS band will effectively be used by their respective aeronautical companies.

An additional PT3 meeting limited to WRC A.I. 1.5 and 1.6 (additional aeronautical spectrum) was decided to prepare the 8B meeting of September.

During this meeting UK expressed the need to obtain an additional bandwidth of 105 MHz for the future telemetry links used in air flight test centers.

Eurocontrol presented a requirement of frequency in order to develop specific equipment increasing the aeronautical security (protection against illegal behaviours aboard airplanes). During this specific meeting, Alex Hendricks from Eurocontrol presented the increase of aeronautical communications scheduled in center and Northern Europe where we find the highest density aeronautical traffic. He also outlined that we have to answer as a matter of urgency to the spectrum needs related to the development of the UAV’s.

PT3 took also a common position concerning the telemetry and telecommand candidate bands indicated previously by the U.S.A. during the April WP 8B. These six bands runs from 3 to 30 GHz and PT3 indicated that fixed service are berthed in them which would complicate the sharing with the mobile service. However, PT3 indicated that it is not opposed to conduct sharing studies in these bands.

The additional needs for telemetry links were then recorded as follows :

• 60 MHz preferably below 7 GHz for the air flight test (Airbus/FR-RFA-UK-SP);
• 650 MHz for air test centers (USA);
• 105 MHs for air test centers (UK).

France precised during the 8B meeting that it will express its needs for the use in the air of automatic aircraft at the next 8B meeting scheduled in March 06. This need will probably run between a few hundreds of MHz up to 1 GHz.

In the same time, the global view of the future use of the UAV in our sky was updated under the leardership of Eurocontrol. Nevertheless, this study does not run towards precise spectrum requirements related to the UAV. It does not offer more guidances for considering the associated necessary spectrum requirement under A.I. 1.5 or A.I. 1.6.

Following the September meeting of WP8B it can be said that work is in progress.

A Preliminary Draft New Report (PDNR) on the WRC’7 agenda items 1.5 & 1.6 is presently elaborated by the WP8B.

Many studies began in the bands 4400 – 4940 MHz, 5091- 5150 MHz and 5925 – 6700 MHz to assess the sharing between telemetry links and communications of other services (Radio-astronomy, Satellites…). They show that the sharing could be possible under certain restricting conditions. As a consequence, many liaison letters were sent to other ITU-R working groups to bring views from other services experts on these studies. These other working group are expected to meet in the next months and could deliver first concrete answers before March 06 when the WP 8B will meet again.

The work of the previous 8B mentioned also that interests are also brought to 22.5-23.6 GHz and 27-27.5 GHz bands as potential bands for the long term.

Compatibility with existing FSS feeder links, with AM(R)S equipment operation and AMS for Aeronautical Security being the main objective, a general methodology has been adopted for computing the aggregate excess noise seen by the FSS from new systems, and the reciprocal one seen by any one of the new systems due to the other new systems. The new systems include AM(R)S, AMS for telemetry/telecommand purposes, AMT, and aeronautical security (An aeronautical mobile service that supports aeronautical communications for confidential and secure communications between aircraft and ground, principally during unlawful interference to aircraft.).

In the MLS band, France proposed to share the services by giving the priority to the protection of the MLS and opening the door for the use of the band by aircraft under testing and aircraft using other aeronautical mobile en route applications (AM(R)S). Real debates on this proposal are expected during the next 8B meeting.