ETSI TS 122 125 V17.7.0 (2024-05)

5G; Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) support in 3GPP (3GPP TS 22.125 version 17.7.0 Release 17)

RTS/TSGS-0122125vh70

General Information

• Status: Not Published
• Technical Committee: 3GPP SA 1 - Services
• Current Stage: 12 - Citation in the OJ (auto-insert)
• Completion Date: 07-May-2024

Standards Content (Sample)

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
5G;
Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) support in 3GPP
(3GPP TS 22.125 version 17.7.0 Release 17)

3GPP TS 22.125 version 17.7.0 Release 17 1 ETSI TS 122 125 V17.7.0 (2024-05)

Reference
RTS/TSGS-0122125vh70
Keywords
5G
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3GPP TS 22.125 version 17.7.0 Release 17 2 ETSI TS 122 125 V17.7.0 (2024-05)
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3GPP TS 22.125 version 17.7.0 Release 17 3 ETSI TS 122 125 V17.7.0 (2024-05)
Contents
Intellectual Property Rights . 2
Legal Notice . 2
Modal verbs terminology . 2
Foreword . 4
Introduction . 4
1 Scope . 5
2 References . 5
3 Definitions, symbols and abbreviations . 5
3.1 Definitions . 5
3.2 Symbols . 6
3.3 Abbreviations . 6
4 Overview on UAS . 6
4.1 General . 6
4.2 C2 Communication. 6
5 Requirements for Remote Identification of UAS . 7
5.1 General . 7
5.2 UAS traffic management . 9
5.2.1 General . 9
5.2.2 Decentralized UAS traffic management . 9
5.3 Void . 10
5.4 Security . 10
6 Requirements for UAV usages . 10
6.1 General . 10
6.2 Network exposure for UAV services. 10
6.3 Service restriction for UEs onboard of UAV . 10
6.5 C2 communication . 10
7 Performance requirements . 11
7.1 KPIs for services provided to the UAV applications . 11
7.2 KPIs for UAV command and control . 12
7.3 Positioning performance requirements . 14
7.4 Other requirements . 14
Annex A (informative): UAS Reference Model . 15
A.1 UAS Reference Model in 3GPP ecosystem. 15
Annex B (informative): Change history . 16
History . 17

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3GPP TS 22.125 version 17.7.0 Release 17 4 ETSI TS 122 125 V17.7.0 (2024-05)
Foreword
This Technical Specification has been produced by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP).
The contents of the present document are subject to continuing work within the TSG and may change following
formal TSG approval. Should the TSG modify the contents of the present document, it will be re-released by the
TSG with an identifying change of release date and an increase in version number as follows:
Version x.y.z
where:
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3 or greater indicates TSG approved document under change control.
y the second digit is incremented for all changes of substance, i.e. technical enhancements, corrections,
updates, etc.
z the third digit is incremented when editorial only changes have been incorporated in the document.

Introduction
Interest in using cellular connectivity to support Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) is strong, and the 3GPP
ecosystem offers excellent benefits for UAS operation. Ubiquitous coverage, high reliability and QoS, robust
security, and seamless mobility are critical factors to supporting UAS command and control functions. In parallel,
regulators are investigating safety and performance standards and Registration and licensing programs to develop a
well-functioning private and civil UAS ecosystem which can safely coexist with commercial air traffic, public and
private infrastructure, and the general population.
The 3GPP system can provide control plane and user plane communication services for UAS. Examples of services
which can be offered to the UAS ecosystem includes data services for command and control (C2), telematics, UAS-
generated data, remote identification, and authorisation, enforcement, and regulation of UAS operation.
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1 Scope
The present document identifies the requirements for operation of Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) via the 3GPP
system.
This includes requirements for meeting the business, security, and public safety needs for the remote identification
and tracking of UAS linked to a 3GPP subscription.
2 References
The following documents contain provisions which, through reference in this text, constitute provisions of the
present document.
- References are either specific (identified by date of publication, edition number, version number, etc.) or
non-specific.
- For a specific reference, subsequent revisions do not apply.
- For a non-specific reference, the latest version applies. In the case of a reference to a 3GPP document
(including a GSM document), a non-specific reference implicitly refers to the latest version of that document
in the same Release as the present document.
[1] 3GPP TR 21.905: "Vocabulary for 3GPP Specifications".
[2] FAA UTM Concept of Operations v1.0, Foundational Principles, Roles and Responsibilities,
Use Cases and Operational Threads https://utm.arc.nasa.gov/docs/2018-UTM-ConOps-
v1.0.pdf
[3] FAA Remote Identification, https://www.faa.gov/uas/research_development/remote_id/
[4] 3GPP TS 22.261: "Service requirements for the 5G system; Stage 1".
[5]     IMT 2020(5G): "Application for UAV in 5G White Paper", September 2018
3 Definitions, symbols and abbreviations
3.1 Definitions
For the purposes of the present document, the terms and definitions given in 3GPP TR 21.905 [1] and the following
apply. A term defined in the present document takes precedence over the definition of the same term, if any, in
3GPP TR 21.905 [1].
Above ground level (AGL): In the context of a UAV it is the UAV altitude referenced to ground level in the
vicinity.
Command and Control (C2) Communication: the user plane link to convey messages with information of
command and control for UAV operation between a UAV controller and a UAV.
Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS): Composed of Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and related functionality,
including command and control (C2) links between the UAV and the controller, the UAV and the network, and for
remote identification. A UAS is comprised of a UAV and a UAV controller.
NOTE: A UAV can be controlled by different UAV controllers, but at any given time, a UAV is under the
control of only one UAV controller. The mechanisms to ensure which UAV controller is active and
controlling the UAV is out of scope of 3GPP.
Uncrewed Aerial System Traffic Management (UTM): a set of functions and services for managing a range of
autonomous vehicle operations.
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UAV controller: The UAV controller of a UAS enables a drone pilot to control an UAV.
UxNB: radio access node on-board UAV. It is a radio access node providing connectivity to UEs, which is carried in
the air by an Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle (UAV).
3.2 Symbols
For the purposes of the present document, the following symbols apply:
3.3 Abbreviations
For the purposes of the present document, the abbreviations given in 3GPP TR 21.905 [1] and the following apply.
An abbreviation defined in the present document takes precedence over the definition of the same abbreviation, if
any, in 3GPP TR 21.905 [1].
BVLOS Beyond Visual Line of Sight
C2 Command and Control
Remote ID Remote Identification [3]
UAS Uncrewed Aerial System
UAV Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle
UTM Uncrewed Aerial System Traffic Management [2]
4 Overview on UAS
4.1 General
An Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) is the combination of an Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle (UAV), sometimes called a
drone, and a UAV controller. A UAV is an aircraft without a human pilot onboard – instead, in some cases. the
UAV can be controlled from an operator via a UAV controller and will have a range of autonomous flight
capabilities. The communication system between the UAV and UAV controller is, within the scope of this
specification and in some scenarios, provided by the 3GPP system. The UAS model considers also the scenario
where the UAV controller communicates with the UAV via mechanisms outside the scope of 3GPP.
UAVs range in size and weight from small, light aircraft often used for recreational purposes to large, heavy aircraft
which are often more suited to commercial applications. Regulatory requirements vary across this range and vary on
a regional basis.
The communication requirements for UAS cover both the Command and Control (C2), and uplink and downlink
data to/from the UAS components towards both the serving 3GPP network and network servers. The applicable C2
communication modes is depicted in clause 4.2.
Uncrewed Aerial System Traffic Management (UTM) is used to provide a number of services to support UAS and
their operations including but not limited to UAS identification and tracking, authorisation, enforcement, regulation
of UAS operations, and also to store the data required for UAS(s) to operate. It also allows authorised users (e.g., air
traffic control, public safety agencies) to query the identity and metadata of a UAV and its UAV controller.
4.2 C2 Communication
When using 3GPP network as the transport network for supporting UAS services, the following C2 communication
are considered to provision UAS services by guaranteeing QoS for the C2 communication:
Direct C2 communication: the UAV controller and UAV establish a direct C2 link to communicate with each other
and both are registered to the 5G network using the radio resource configured and scheduled provided by the 5G
network for direct C2 communication.
Network-Assisted C2 communication: the UAV controller and UAV register and establish respective unicast C2
communication links to the 5G network and communicate with each other via 5G network. Also, both the UAV
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controller and UAV may be registered to the 5G network via different NG-RAN nodes. The 5G network needs to
support mechanism to handle the reliable routing of C2 communication.
UTM-Navigated C2 communication: the UAV has been provided a pre-scheduled flight plan, e.g. array of 4D
polygons, for autonomous flying, however UTM still maintains a C2 communication link with the UAV in order to
regularly monitor the flight status of the UAV, verify the flight status with up-to-date dynamic restrictions, provide
route updates, and navigate the UAV whenever necessary.
In general, Direct C2 communication and Network-Assisted C2 communication are used by a human-operator using
a UAV controller. UTM-Navigated C2 communication is used by the UTM to provide cleared flying routes and
routes updates. In order to ensure the service availability and reliability of the C2 communication for UAS
operation, especially when the UAV is flying beyond line of sight (BLOS) of the operator, redundant C2
communication links can be established for any C2 communication links from UAV controller or UTM to a UAV.
For reliability and service availability consideration, it is possible to activate more than one C2 communication with
one as a backup link for C2 communication or switch among the applicable links for C2 communication.
- For example, Direct C2 communication can be used at first and then switch to the Network-Assisted C2
communication when the UAV is flying BLOS.
- For example, UTM-navigated C2 communication can be utilized whenever needed, e.g. for air traffic control,
the UAV is approaching a No Drone Zone, and detected potential security threats, etc.
There are four control modes considered in the C2 communication for the UAV operation that are with different
requirements, e.g. on message intervals, sizes, and end to end latencies, etc., including steer to waypoints, direct
stick steering, automatic flight by UTM and approaching autonomous navigation infrastructure.
- Steer to waypoints: the control message contains flight declaration, e.g. waypoints, sent from the UAV
controller or UTM to the UAV. The control mode is used in both of direct C2 communication and network-
assisted C2 communication.
- Direct stick steering: the control message contains direction instructions sending from the UAV controller to
the UAV while optionally video traffic is provided as feedback from the UAV to the UAV controller. The
control mode is used in both of direct C2 communication and network-assisted C2 communication.
- Automatic flight by UTM: the control message contains a pre-scheduled flight plan, e.g. array of 4D
polygons, sent from the UTM to the UAV, which thereafter flies autonomously with periodic position
reporting. The control mode is used in UTM-Navigated C2 communication.
- Approaching autonomous navigation infrastructure: the control message contains direction instructions, e.g.
waypoints, altitudes and speeds from the UTM to the UAV. When the UAV is landing/departing, the UTM
coordinates more closely with autonomous navigation infrastructure, e.g. vertiport or package distribution
center. The control mode is used in UTM-Navigated C2 communication.
5 Requirements for Remote Identification of UAS
5.1 General
[R-5.1-001] The 3GPP system should enable UTM to associate the UAV and UAV controller, and the UTM to
identify them as a UAS.
[R-5.1-002] The 3GPP system shall be able to provide UTM with the identity/identities of a UAS.
[R-5.1-003] The 3GPP system shall
...