The fifth important meeting between the X2Rail project consortium and the AB4Rail project partners was held on 14th September 2021.
Dr. Alessandro Vizzarri (Radiolabs), and Prof. Franco Mazzenga (Radiolabs, University of Rome Tor Vergata) presented the latest results and findings on the promising Alternative Bearers (ABs) to be used in the rail sector in order to support train operations.
At a first stage, AB4Rail Project Members presented the three-step procedure defined to assess and identify the most suitable ABs for railway in terms of technical features and eligibility.
Later on, they described the most important results regarding the Optical Wireless Communications (OWCs), as Free Space Optics (FSO), and the Aerial communication technologies (as LEO satellite and HAPS). FSO can be managed by the railway operator as a dedicated communication network. FSO is already used in the railway sector for static scenarios, although its usage in mobility scenarios is under investigation. LEO satellites and HAPS are fully managed by other communication stakeholders. So that their involvement has been underlined and some requirements for the utilization of these technologies in the railway scenario have been discussed.
Next meeting is on 3th November 2021!
