Evaluation of KPIs for RPAS C3 satellite data link: The RAPTOR tool

This paper focuses on the RAPTOR RPAS C3 satcom simulator, whose development has been initiated by Thales Alenia Space Italia for the purposes of the SESAR MedALE Project. RAPTOR (RPAS satellite plaform for future communications infrastructure) is a SW tool that has been conceived and exploited as an element of MedALE Networked Simulation environment for Beyond Radio Line of Sight RPAS operations in non-segregated airspaces. Further to presenting the initial architecture of RAPTOR and the achieved results within MedALE, the paper concentrates the attention on RPAS C3 link KPIs and outlines the ongoing action plan put in place by Thales Alenia Space Italia to evolve RAPTOR in order to support a wide set of RPAS mission and user needs through the revision and extension of the representative KPIs.