For most of its history flight telemetry involved getting data to the ground, then routing analog (TTL) clock and data signals around a building to get data to people requiring it in real-time. This was done through noisy electronic environments, required unique infrastructure, and limited the range of real-time data dissemination. Some equipment vendors found ways to transmit the data by converting to IP packets, then using existing Ethernet infrastructure to disseminate through any network-connect system.
Standardizing TMoIP?
In the early days, this method was ad hoc but became standardized in a brief time as the benefits were obvious. Today there several methods in play and they all fall under the term telemetry-over-IP, or “TMoIP.”
Chapter 10 TMoIP, UDP
The first successful method was to take the already used “Chapter 10” packet standard (see blog 3 on the Chapter 10 standard) and transmit the packet intact either using Universal Datagram Protocol (UDP) or TCP/IP stacks. This method supports any Chapter 10 data type.
RCC 218-10, 218-20
In 2010 a temporary standard was put in place to describe PCM data within a Universal Datagram Protocol (UDP) packet. However, this method neglected a time packet, making it impossible to correlate data accurately. This was remedied by a 2020 standard which incorporated the time of the sampled data. This method inserts PCM frame structure into a UDP without other data types being supported.
Network Packet Data (NPD)
This follows the DARv3 protocols and supports UDP and TCP/IP, but it is not widely used or supported by all vendors in the US.
TmNS (Telemetry Network Standard)
This new standard is fully a self-describing method which originates from the iNet concept. This method supports any data type within a UDP stream. This is not widely used as it is very new but will gain favor in time.
FAQs
Q1: What types of organizations can benefit from TMoIP?
Any flight test facility that wishes to disseminate over a wide area of the range or to other ranges in real-time.
Q2: How does TMoIP enhance data security?
Since security infrastructures are already in place in almost all networks, this method requires only adherence to facility policies.
Q3: Can TMoIP be integrated with existing telemetry systems?
Yes, most vendors already support some or all of the above methods.
Q4: What is needed to implement TMoIP in an organization?
To implement TMoIP, an organization needs IP-capable telemetry equipment and access to a reliable IP network. Depending on the specific requirements, additional software or hardware may be necessary for integration and data management.