Overview
IEC 63098-3:2022 is an international standard published by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) that focuses on radio-over-fibre (RoF) technologies used in remote radar systems, specifically for foreign object debris (FOD) detection. This standard provides the performance and interface requirements for RoF systems connecting a central station (CS) to remote radar heads (RRHs), ensuring interoperability and vendor compatibility across different RoF implementations.
Remote radar systems rely on RoF links to transmit and receive radio signals over optical fibre, enabling wide-area coverage critical for monitoring sensitive environments such as airport runways for FOD. Due to the high-frequency millimetre waves used in these applications, RoF plays a crucial role in overcoming propagation losses and providing reliable signal transmission over several hundred metres.
Key Topics
- RoF Interface Specifications: The standard details the physical and functional requirements of RoF links, including radio frequency (RF) and optical interfaces. It specifies connector types, wavelength ranges, power levels, and required dynamic ranges to guarantee proper system performance and compatibility.
- System Architecture: It describes typical architectures where a central station connects to multiple RRHs via RoF links. These architectures may use varying transmission, reference, and reception RoF links depending on the radar system’s configuration to enable broad detection coverage.
- Testing and Performance Validation: IEC 63098-3:2022 defines testing conditions for RoF link characterization, including temperature testing and measurement setup requirements. Testing is crucial for verifying the reliability and consistency of RoF systems under varying environmental conditions.
- Safety Requirements: The standard references IEC 60825-1 for laser safety, ensuring any fibre optic transmitters used are compliant with international safety regulations.
- Interoperability and Vendor Compatibility: By standardizing the interface and performance requirements, the document facilitates compatibility between equipment from different suppliers, a key factor for scalable and maintainable radar deployment.
Applications
IEC 63098-3:2022 is particularly relevant to:
- Airport and Runway Safety: Provides the technical foundation for installing and operating runway FOD detection systems. By connecting distributed radar heads to a single central station using RoF, airports can efficiently monitor long stretches of runway for hazardous debris.
- Wide-area Surveillance: Remote radar systems utilizing RoF are suitable for other critical infrastructure monitoring, such as highways, railways, or industrial sites, where centralized monitoring of large and inaccessible areas is necessary.
- System Integration Projects: For engineers and integrators, the standard’s detailed interface specifications enable seamless multi-vendor system integration and straightforward expansion or maintenance.
Related Standards
For comprehensive deployment of radio-over-fibre radar systems, users may refer to these related standards:
- IEC 62149-10:2018: Fibre optic active components and devices – Performance standards – Part 10: Radio-over-fibre (RoF) transceivers for mobile fronthaul
- IEC 60825-1: Safety of laser products – Equipment classification and requirements
- IEC TR 63098-1: Transmitting equipment for radiocommunication – Radio-over-fibre technologies and their performance standard – Part 1: System applications of radio over fibre technology
- ITU-T G.9803: Radio over fibre systems
These documents collectively support the safe design, performance validation, and successful deployment of RoF-based radar systems for reliable FOD detection and broader surveillance applications.
Keywords: IEC 63098-3, radio-over-fibre, RoF, remote radar, FOD detection, central station, remote radar head, system compatibility, interface specifications, airport runway safety, radar system performance standard, RF over fibre, optical fibre standards