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The VDL Mode 4 system is the heart of future CNS/ATM systems. VDL Mode 4 is
the International Civil Aviation Organisations (ICAO) acronym for VHF Digital Link
and is essentially a generic digital communications system that is capable of
supporting virtually all kinds of air, sea and land mobile applications. VDL Mode 4
are based on the Self-organising Time Division Multiple Access Technology known
as STDMA. )XUWKHU LQIRUPDWLRQ FDQ DOVR EH IRXQG RQ WKH IROORZLQJ ZHE
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Some of the applications for aviation that are supported by VDL Mode 4 are shown
below. These applications and their relation to VDL Mode 4/STDMA services are
illustrated in Figure 1.
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Short presentation of VDL Mode 4 and some European projects

1 of 12

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VDL Mode 4 supports two different communications services:

VDL Mode 4 specific services;
VDL Mode 4 ATN services.
The VDL Mode 4 specific services include broadcast and point-to-point
communications with a minimum of overhead information for time critical data
exchange and low-end users. The VDL Mode 4 ATN service is fully ATN compliant.
Together these services support a range of broadcast and end-to-end
communications services.

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ATN does not support broadcast transmissions. Such services are defined as
"specific services" in the ATN concept. VDL Mode 4 specific services support
broadcast data applications. Broadcast transmissions are used in many different
CNS/ATM applications. Depending on the application the broadcast transmission
can be sent both from ground sites and from mobile units.

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In VDL Mode 4, end-to-end communications can be realised as a VDL Mode 4
specific service or using the full ATN protocol stack. Most ATN communications will
use another frequency than short position reports as for Automatic Dependent
Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B). The selection of service may depend on the
aircraft equipage, type of ground infrastructure, time criticality, economical aspects,
channel loads, etc.
When using VDL Mode 4 for ADS-B, aircraft reports of navigation data are
transmitted in the time-slots available on the data link. An example of the use of the
data link is shown in Figure 1.1.

Short presentation of VDL Mode 4 and some European projects

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Reporting rate for aircraft A, eg once
every 5s

Reporting rate for aircraft B, eg

once every 5s

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Position reports from

aircraft A

Position reports from

aircraft B

ATIS, GRAS, etc

Other aircraft
reports

Note: actual number of slots is 2 x 4,500 per minute + additional ch.

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Some of the key-features of VDL Mode 4 is that it is a multi-channel narrow band
system that operates ZLWK RU ZLWKRXW a ground infrastructure, it is a GLVWULEXWHG
communications system, and it provides KLJKHU FDSDFLW\ per bandwidth than any
other known wireless communications technology. &RPSDUHGZLWKIRULQVWDQFHWKH
,&$2 9'/ 0RGH  GDWD OLQN V\VWHP WKH FDSDFLW\ RIIHUHG E\ 9'/ 0RGH  LV
HVWLPDWHG WR EH DERXW  WLPHV KLJKHU GHVSLWH D ORZHU ELW UDWH. This is due to the
better spectrum mask and a CCI value of ~10 dB for VDL Mode 4 compared with
~26 dB for VDL Mode 2. The spectrum efficiency is thereby significantly improved.
This is illustrated in figure 2 below.

Short presentation of VDL Mode 4 and some European projects

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In order to make capacity and spectrum efficiency comparisons with other competing
technologies it is important to seek an answer to the question: How many position
reports or other types of 256-bit messages can be transmitted per minute or second
per kHz bandwidth?
Additional capacity, if and as needed, is provided by adding more regionally or
locally assigned 25 kHz channels.
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Although the development started in Europe in the 1980s ADS-B is a relatively new
aviation surveillance concept whereby aircraft transmit their positions (usually
derived from a GNSS receiver on-board the aircraft) over a radio data link. Position
information is transmitted and received by every aircraft in the vicinity so that all
users have knowledge of their own location and the locations of all other surrounding
aircraft or vehicles. The position information may be displayed in the cockpits of
suitably equipped aircraft to give new situation awareness capabilities. Also, ground
vehicles and fixed ground stations can also be equipped to transmit and receive
position data, allowing surveillance of all types of traffic and a two-way data link
capability.
When using VDL Mode 4 for ADS-B, all aircraft and vehicles within range will receive
reports of navigation data. With a VDL Mode 4 infrastructure in place such as the
North European ADS Network (NEAN) and the Italian FARAWAY system position
information and GNSS Augmentation and other information is provided for a large
areas for use e.g. by aircraft for precision navigation, ATC for Surveillance and

Short presentation of VDL Mode 4 and some European projects

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6KRUWGHVFULSWLRQ9'/0RGH
Communication, by airlines for Fleet Management, and for Search and Rescue, etc.
An example of such an infrastructure is shown in Figure 2.

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With ADS-B, the position information is constantly being shared amongst all users,
as illustrated in Figure 3. This is a unique surveillance capability since traffic
information is made available to all users - not just the ground ATC system.

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In addition to position information, other data is also broadcast on the data link. Most
importantly, this includes the aircraft identity (so that all the users know the identity

Short presentation of VDL Mode 4 and some European projects

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6KRUWGHVFULSWLRQ9'/0RGH
of other users) and velocity of the aircraft or vehicle, usually derived from the GNSS
receiver. With a VDL Mode 4 ground infrastructure GNSS Augmentations is also
available to the users within radio range.
ADS-B should not be confused with Satellite ADS (also known as ADS-Contract or
ADS-C). With ADS-B, an aircraft periodically and frequently transmits its ID and
position data to all surrounding users, whether they are ground based or airborne.
However, with ADS-C the aircraft only transmits its position to a single ground
control centre with lower frequency and as often as required by that ground centre.
The Swedish CAA and Swedavia AB has been working with the VDL Mode 4
technology since 1991 and in particular different ADS-B applications provided by
VDL Mode 4. ADS-B offers benefits to many different types of air and ground users.
Some of the groups using VDL Mode 4 operationally or for trials are:

commercial aircraft operators, such as Air Valle, Alitalia, Lufthansa, SAS, OLT,
Golden Air, and Maersk Air.

general aviation users;

ground vehicle operators, for example snow clearing vehicles at Stockholms

Arlanda International Airport use VDL Mode 4 to operate in poor visibility and to
shorten the time for snow clearing;

helicopter operators, such as Maersk Air who operate in the North Sea.

Air Traffic Control such as Eurocontrol Maastricht, Stockholm-Arlanda Tower,

and Brindisi, Ciampino and Padua ACCs, Italy.

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ADS-B will have a major impact on the cockpit environment because it will provide
the pilot with full situation awareness of all surrounding traffic (the aircraft flight
number is automatically shown on the screen). Figure 4 shows a cockpit display that
is used to show the positions and intent of all the aircraft within 200 NM. The cockpit
display is also known as a Cockpit Display Traffic Information (CDTI) or a Traffic
Situation Display (TSD) and is already installed in several commercial and some
military aircraft (Lufthansa, SAS, OLT, Golden Air, USAF C-5 Galaxy, etc.). In order
to assure that the future onboard systems can support flight critical functions such
as e.g. future Airborne Separation Assurance System (ASAS) a need for two (2) 25
kHz frequencies have been identified through the work completed by the Airborne
Architecture Group. This requirement has also been recognised in the context of the
standardisation work completed by ICAO and EUROCAE in March/April 2001.
In contrast to e.g. ACAS/TCAS (Mode S Squitter) VDL Mode 4 is a low power
system that allows dual installations in the aircraft, thus meeting the availability
requirements for on-board surveillance applications in non-radar airspace.




Short presentation of VDL Mode 4 and some European projects

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Pilots can use the cockpit display to monitor the traffic around them and to keep
abreast of the traffic distribution. They can easily monitor essential traffic and for the
first time the crew will have the same surveillance picture as the controller.
The cockpit displays will support new manoeuvres such as station keeping in which
a pilot is asked to follow another aircraft maintaining a particular separation. This
does not relieve the ground controller of his responsibilities for separation
maintenance, but it does allow the controller to share some of his workload with the
pilot. Station keeping can be used, for example, to efficiently sequence aircraft
during departure operations.
Another application may be to allow passing manoeuvres. Currently, manoeuvres
such as in-trail climbs are made using TCAS to provide separation assurance. This
is not desirable because it involves the pilot specifically ignoring TCAS advisories
during the manoeuvre, potentially causing confusion to the pilot and reducing the
value of other TCAS warnings.
One of the benefits of the cockpit display is that it can replace the party-line, which
refers to the way in which pilots listen to VHF radio to hear the exchanges between
other pilots and the ground controller. By listening to the radio, the pilot builds up a
mental picture of traffic close to himself. The cockpit display gives a much more
complete and accurate picture of essential traffic to the pilot. Pilots are worried that
introducing CPDLC (controller-pilot data link communications) will remove the party
line and they will therefore lose their present situation awareness; ADS-B, with an
appropriate cockpit display, gives a much better situation awareness to help
overcome this concern. The Cockpit Display shown in Figure 4 is - in addition to
navigation and surveillance- providing a range of other functions including Flight

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6KRUWGHVFULSWLRQ9'/0RGH
Plan Management and CPDLC. Airborne Conflict Detection and Conflict Resolution
using the VDL Mode 4 prototype system and CDTI has been tested by Eurocontrol
and others (DFS, Lufthansa, Luftfartsverket and SAS) within the FREER 3
programme.
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On the ground, ADS-B will provide new surveillance capabilities to ATC at a fraction
of the cost of conventional SSR/MSSR, Mode S and PSR. It offers 10 times more
capabilities at about 10-20 % of the cost for a radar based system. An ADS-B
ground station is a transmitting/receiving station without the expensive and complex
rotating antennas of radar systems. Also, unlike radar systems an ADS-B ground
station is not required to make high precision measurements of aircraft position, so
the cost of ground electronics, maintenance and operation is much less.
ADS-B will therefore offer an advanced and low-cost surveillance system to those
states that have areas not covered by radar with the following benefits:

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FRYHUDJH: rather than a variable quality of surveillance cover depending on the
phase of flight and ground station siting.

/RZFRVW: since there would be no separate surveillance system (it would be

part of the communication infrastructure already in place).

)OH[LELOLW\: surveillance reporting rates can be varied according to the

requirement, e.g. PRM monitoring can have a higher reporting rate than en-route
applications.

0RUHDFFXUDWHQDYLJDWLRQGDWD: GNSS position data has an accuracy of about

a metre if differential corrections (DGNSS) are available to the GNSS receiver.
This is a much higher accuracy than radar systems. Also, the velocity information
given by a GNSS receiver is more accurate than velocity derived from
consecutive radar tracks.

0RUHDGYDQFHGVXUYHLOODQFHLQIRUPDWLRQ: for example, additional data from the

FMS or other airborne computers may be transmitted over the data link to other
users.

6XSSRUWIRUQHZDSSOLFDWLRQV: a general purpose data link such as VDL Mode 4

can be used to pass additional surveillance information or support new
applications.

,GHQWLFDOVXUYHLOODQFHLQIRUPDWLRQDYDLODEOHWRDOOXVHUV: including airborne

and ground-based users. In remote areas, aircraft could use this surveillance
data for autonomous control.

6XLWDEOHIRUDOOSKDVHVRIIOLJKW: including airborne, surface movement

surveillance and precision surface navigation.

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VDL Mode 4/STDMA provides a real-time two-way data link, for all types of aviation
applications, as well as ADS-B functionality. VDL Mode 4 has been standardised by
the ICAO Aeronautical Mobile Communication Panel (AMCP). The SARPs have

Short presentation of VDL Mode 4 and some European projects

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6KRUWGHVFULSWLRQ9'/0RGH
been extensively validated and was approved by ICAO in March 2001. SARPs will
be published in Annex 10, November 2001.
In addition, EUROCAE WG-51 has developed MOPS standards for VDL Mode 4
airborne equipment and ETSI has standardized Mode 4 Ground Stations. ITU and
IMO have adopted the same basic system (for maritime applications called
Automatic Identification System-AIS) to become mandatory equipment (starting 1
July 2002) on-board ships under SOLAS Chapter V and on all other passenger
ships.
There are many projects ongoing around the world that are using prototype VDL
Mode 4/STDMA equipment. Most of the projects involve the Swedish Civil Aviation
Administration, and most European ones are sponsored by the European
Commission (EC) and Eurocontrol.
There is insufficient space in this paper to describe all the projects using VDL Mode
4/STDMA here, but some of them are listed below:

1($16SRQVRUHGE\(&'*9,,The largest European activity is known as the

North European ADS-B Network (NEAN). Under NEAN, an ADS-B capability is
being created through a network of ground stations and mobile VDL Mode 4
equipment that is installed in commercial aircraft and airport vehicles. The
network spans Germany, Denmark and Sweden, and once position reports are
received by a ground station they are then distributed throughout the network to
air traffic control and other users. There are 15 ground stations in the NEAN
project and 16 aircraft equipped including six 747s, two DC9s, two F28s, one
SAAB 340 and a helicopter involved in North Sea operations. Around 30 groundvehicles have also been equipped. NEAN is a collaborative venture between the
German, Danish and Swedish Civil Aviation Administrations and the following
aircraft operators: Lufthansa, SAS, OLT, Maersk Helicopters and Golden Air. The
UK CAA has been looking at the certification and validation parts of the project.
The NEAN ground network was completed in May 1997 and all airborne
installations during the first half of 1998. In June 1997, Flight International
Magazine gave an Aerospace Industry Award to Luftfartsverket (the Swedish
CAA) and SAS. The award was for pioneering work within the NEAN project to
demonstrate the potential of ADS-B, GNSS Augmentation, CDTI, etc.

1($3 6SRQVRUHG E\ (& '*9,, The North European CNS/ATM Applications
Project (NEAP) is a sister project to the NEAN, with the same participants. Using
the infrastructure implemented in the NEAN, the NEAP has developed and
demonstrated end-to-end (airborne and ground based) applications using the
VDL Mode 4/STDMA data link. The applications investigated in NEAP include
enhanced ATC surveillance (both while airborne and on the ground); uplinked
support information for pilots, e.g. ATIS data; uplinked GNSS corrections and
integrity data for approach and landing. The NEAN/NEAP projects were
successfully completed in February 1999 with a flight demonstration during which
some 80 guests from various parts of the world were onboard two of the SAS
Fokker F-28 that participated in the demonstration (See also appendix 1).

1RUWK (XURSHDQ 8SGDWH 3URJUDPPH183 6SRQVRUHG E\ (& '* 9,,  The
objective of NUP is to further enhance the NEAN/NEAP -projects by developing

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6KRUWGHVFULSWLRQ9'/0RGH
and deploy SARPs compliant VDL Mode 4 air and ground systems and to further
improve the network and the network management technologies within NEAN,
FARAWAY II, etc. The overall objective of the project is to implement a system
that can be put into operational use. The project was formally approved in July
1998 and will continue until 2001.

)$5$:$< 6SRQVRUHG E\ (& '* ;,,, The objective of FARAWAY was to
investigate the enhanced operational performance of ground surveillance and
aircraft navigation made possible through fusion of radar and ADS-B data. The
Faraway project was co-ordinated by Alenia Spa, Italy and involved ATM service
providers and airlines in Germany, Italy and Sweden. Initially three Alitalia MD-82
were equipped with VDL Mode 4/STDMA and Cockpit Display equipment.
Ground stations have also been installed at Brindisi, Ciampino and Padua ACCs,
in Italy. The FARAWAY trials have been going on from October 1997 and was
successfully completed June 1998. The trials were testing a variety of
applications such as enhanced navigation by Augmented GNSS, ADS-B, Traffic
Information Services-Broadcast (TIS-B), and fusion of ADS-B and radar data in
controller working positions at the new Rome ACC, located near Ciampino
Airport. Data from more than 2,000 flights was collected and analysed. The airground range of the ADS-B and DGNSS was more than 200 NM, and the
tracking performance was significantly improved by ADS-B.
)$5$:$<,,6SRQVRUHGE\(&'*;,,,The objective of FARAWAY II was to
extend the coverage of the ICAO VHF Mode 4STDMA two way datalink into the
NEAN airspace and down to Brindisi in southern Italyprovide co-ordination with
selected ADS trials conducted under National or European Projects, such as the
Eurocontrol ADS Mediterranean Trials, PETAL II, NEAN/NEAP, SUPRA,
Regional ADS projects by ENAV and others supported by the European
Commission; secure Interoperability of systems and Flight Management
functions through the constitution of a pre-operational scenario adopting
compatible technologies, provide inputs to on-going standardisation and
certification initiatives, and developa set of advanced Validation Tools as part
of a certification process. The project was successfully completed November
2000, and has been nominated as a finalist for the Aerospace Industry Awards
2001.

6835$ 6SRQVRUHGE\(&'*;,,,This project was co-ordinated by Indra of

Spain and focused on the use of ADS-B and cockpit displays for general
aviation (GA) aircraft and airport ground vehicles. Within the project two GA
aircraft and one ground vehicle were equipped at El Robledillo airport outside of
Madrid. A VDL Mode 4/STDMA ground station was also installed for uplinking of
DGNSS messages and ATIS reports. Successful demonstrations of the SUPRA
installations were completed in April 1997. The project received the 1998
Aerospace Industry Award.
0$*1(7 % 6SRQVRUHG E\ (& '* ;,,, The objectives of Magnet B was to
develop GNSS1 user segments, to assess their capability to meet the most
demanding aviation requirements and to evaluate the benefits that users can
achieve from the integration of GNSS1 with a two-way data link. The Magnet B

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6KRUWGHVFULSWLRQ9'/0RGH
project was co-ordinated by Dassault Electronique, France and included
participants from Germany, UK, Norway, the Netherlands and Sweden.
Installations were made early January 1999 at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. The
project was successfully completed by the end of 1999.

3(7$/ ,,6SRQVRUHGE\(852&21752/PETAL-II is an Eurocontrol project

to investigate use of air-ground data link to perform real-time Controller Pilot Data
Link Communications (CPDLC). Petal II is using the two-way data link capability
of VDL Mode 4/STDMA to provide this application. VDL Mode 4/STDMA ground
stations were installed at the Maastricht Centre and at the Eurocontrol
Experimental Centre during March/April 1997. PETAL II was a finalist for the
Aerospace Industry Awards 2000.

2IIVKRUH KHOLFRSWHU RSHUDWLRQV Companies in Denmark and Norway are

installing VDL Mode 4/STDMA equipment on helicopters flying personnel and
supplies to oil rigs in the North Sea. The first installation onboard a Super Puma
helicopter was completed in February 1997.

In addition, there are many activities underway in the rest of the world. For example,
the FAA has performed a test program at the Atlanta Hartsfield Airport, USA, to
evaluate VDL Mode 4/STDMA for ADS-B; GNSS ground augmentation and uplink of
traffic information (TIS-B) and to compare the performance capabilities of different
ADS-B systems.
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ADS-B is a technology that can provide pilots with accurate information about
surrounding air traffic, and offers important operational benefits. In addition ADS-B,
will bring other benefits including possibilities optimise the flow of air traffic, to further
automate the ground systems, to enhance safety and last but not least reduced
Communications and surveillance costs and provide greater capability and flexibility.
The Swedish CAA has concluded that VDL Mode 4 is the only technology that can
deliver the benefits of ADS-B and provide CNS/ATM functions in line with the
Eurocontrol Gate-to-Gate policy. The Association of European Airlines that include
all major European airlines of which Lufthansa and SAS are actively involved in VDL
Mode 4 development supports this view.
Future plans are to progress with VDL Mode 4 pre-operational trials aiming at
deployment of fully operational systems. The Swedish CAA is planning to deliver
new services based on the principles of early delivery of benefits to airlines and the
incremental introduction of services, starting with low-criticality applications that have
the lowest certification requirements. These applications will be used to gain
operational experience and confidence. The pre-operational experience gained in
the NEAN/NEAP and FARAWAY-projects and the other projects described above
will assist in a fast transition to the new services and benefits offered by VDL Mode 4
such as ADS-B, CDTI, TIS-B, FIS-B, DGNSS Augmentation, CPDLC, etc.
Two other major projects are currently going on in the Mediterranean area the
Mediterranean Update Program 0('83 and the Mediterranean Free Flight 0))
The objective of the MEDUP is to upgrade current prototype VDL Mode 4 to SARPs
compliant equipment and to deploy additional infrastructure in Greece, France, Malta

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6KRUWGHVFULSWLRQ9'/0RGH
and Spain. The MFF is aiming at an evaluation of different operational procedures
related to Free Routing and Flight in the Mediterranean airspace.
The MFF-program, is based on the utilisation of the latest CNS technologies
including VDL Mode 4, and will last about 3 more years. The program and is
subdivided into two Phases. Phase I will last until the end of 2002 and will define and
carry out the free routing and free flight scenarios, operational procedures,
separation assurance management, ATM systems, avionics and the related safety
issues and includes the use of both model based and real time simulations. Phase II
will start 2003 and continue until the end of 2004. Phase II will test and verify the
overall operational procedures, for both pilots and controllers through flight trials.
Large scale validation activities and the development of a methodology for the Free
Flight operational safety assessment will be completed during Phase II.
After a series of successful tests and trials 5XVVLD has declared its intention to
implement ADS-B/VDL Mode 4 and start operational use of the technology from late
2005.
The figure below shows some of the European VLD Mode 4/STDMA ADS-B
projects.

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