AQUILA - Secure and Robust Communication System for Avionics Operations and Acquisition of Payload Data for Remote Piloted Aircraft (RPA)

A new communication system aims to give medium-sized drones the same secure, reliable in-flight data links as commercial airliners, but at a fraction of the weight and cost. Today’s low-cost remote piloted aircraft (RPAs) rely on fragile, unencrypted radio links that can drop out or be jammed. This makes them unsafe to fly in the same airspace as passenger planes, limiting their use to segregated, low-risk zones. The AQUILA project will design lightweight hardware and new wireless protocols that keep the drone’s autopilot and payload data flowing securely, even in crowded or contested airspace. If successful, the system could unlock routine drone operations for tasks such as infrastructure inspection, agricultural monitoring, and emergency supply delivery. More importantly, it would allow these aircraft to integrate safely into the national airspace system alongside manned aviation—a step that regulators and insurers currently block due to reliability concerns. The project targets the medium-sized RPA market, where the highest growth is forecast, and aims to make secure, robust connectivity standard rather than a premium add-on.