MPU5 mobile mesh-network radio

The Persistent Systems MPU5 is a mobile ad hoc network (MANET) radio, a line-of-sight and beyond-line-of-sight data link built around the Wave Relay mesh protocol. Each unit acts as a peer node that carries IP traffic, video and voice, so it can serve as the communications element of an unmanned aircraft, an uncrewed ground vehicle or a crewed platform that needs a networked link to other assets.

Wave Relay networks have no master node or base station. Radios enter the mesh in under a second, route traffic through each other and rebuild paths when a node moves or drops out. The maker states no defined limit on hop count or node count, and a stated maximum separation between two nodes of 130 mi (about 209 km). Because the network is a seamless layer 2 domain with IPv4, IPv6, multicast and an integrated DHCP server, ground control stations, payload computers and sensors attach to it like devices on an Ethernet segment, and Cloud Relay allows the mesh to be extended to remote networks.

The radio section is a swappable frequency module, ordered separately, so the same chassis can be configured for different spectrum allocations. Listed modules cover L-band (1350 to 1390 MHz), S-band (2200 to 2507 MHz), BAS band (2025 to 2150 MHz), lower C-band (4400 to 5000 MHz) and upper C-band (5100 to 6000 MHz). The modules use OFDM modulation, up to 3x3 MIMO with three RF chains, software-selectable channel widths of 5, 10 and 20 MHz, and 6 W to 10 W of transmit power; units transmitting at 6 W or more are restricted to military or international sales. Throughput exceeds 100 Mbps, with a peak TCP figure of 150 Mbps in a 20 MHz channel on the L-band module. The maker notes that L-band's longer wavelength suits aviation use with omnidirectional antennas.

The chassis measures 3.8 x 6.7 x 11.7 cm and weighs 391 g without accessories. It accepts 8 to 28 VDC, which suits vehicle, aircraft or battery supplies, and operates from -40 to +85 degrees Celsius. Environmental ratings are IP68 and IP6x, MIL-STD-810G testing and MIL-STD-461F emissions and susceptibility testing, with FCC/IC, Japan type approval and RCM listed as commercial compliance. Three RP-TNC connectors carry the radio chains and a separate SMA connector feeds the active GPS input, which provides one-second position updates and is Cursor-on-Target compliant.

Interfaces include 10/100 Mbps Ethernet, RS-232 with serial-to-Ethernet conversion, USB host and USB On-the-Go, an HD-BNC input for 3G-SDI or composite cameras and an HDMI-compatible output. Hardware H.264 encoding and decoding handles 1080p at 30 fps, or 720p at 60 fps, over a 250 kbps to 5.25 Mbps range. An onboard 1 GHz quad-core ARM computer with 2 GB RAM and 128 GB flash runs the Android-based Wave Relay OS, so control applications for unmanned systems, ATAK and camera control tools can run on the radio itself.

Traffic is protected with CTR-AES-256 encryption and SHA-256 HMAC authentication, hardware cryptographic acceleration and CNSA algorithms. Keys can be changed or zeroized over the air or locally, and a two-handed zeroize works without power. The maker lists FIPS 140-3 certification and manufacture in the USA under ISO 9001. Typical uses are command-and-control and video links on unmanned systems, tethering of legacy land mobile radios through Radio over IP, and networked ground and air robotics.