Special Temporary Authority application - Applicant Name
Name of Applicant:
Honeywell Aerospace
Special Temporary Authority application - Best Contact
First Name:
Charles
Last Name:
Rhoads
Phone Number:
4242217605
Title:
Sr Advanced Wireless/RF Engineer
Special Temporary Authority application - Certification
Applicant certification
Neither the applicant nor any other party to the application is subject to a denial of Federal benefits that includes FCC benefits pursuant to Section 5301 of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, 21 U.S.C. Section 862, because of a conviction for possession or distribution of a controlled substance. The applicant hereby waives any claim to the use of any particular frequency or electromagnetic spectrum as against the regulatory power of the United States because of the prvious use of the same, whether by license or otherwise, and requests authorization in accordance with this application. (See Section 304 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.) The applicant acknowledges that all statements made in this application and attached exhibits are considered material representations, and that all the exhibits part hereof and are incorporated herein as if set out in full in this application; undersigned certifies that all statements in this application are true, complete and correct to the best of his/her knowledge and belief and are made in good faith. Applicant certifies that construction of the station would NOT be an action which is likely to have a significant environmental effect. See the Commission's Rules, 47 CFR1.1301-1.1319.
Date:
2026-06-03 00:00:00.0
Signature of Applicant (Authorized person filing form):
Charles Rhoads
Special Temporary Authority application - Explanation
Please explain in the area below why an STA is necessary:
In the interest of expanding the obstacle-detection radar technology currently used as a safety feature in ground vehicles for critical first-responder aviation operations, Honeywell seeks six-month Special Temporary Authority License to conduct airborne flight testing of an automotive millimeter wave (mmW) radar operating in the 76–77 GHz band to collect experimental test data. Millimeter wave radar has been identified as a strong sensor candidate for critical degraded visual environment (DVE) risk mitigation due to its quality of high-resolution imaging with significant obscurant (dust, fog, rain, smoke, snow) penetration capabilities. A previous STA submittal (File # 0527-EX-ST-2026) was dismissed due to CFR rule parts § 95.3331 and § 95.3333, which prohibit use of the 76-81 GHz band for airborne radar, due to concerns with interference to automotive radar applications in particular. The proposed testing will complement susceptibility testing already completed in the laboratory, which has shown no significant interference with other standard automotive radar sensors including Bosch, TI, NXP, Smartmicro, and ARBE systems. This experimental test data will be useful in part for safely evaluating if – or to what extent – airborne radar in the 76-81 GHz has an effect on ground level automotive radar sensors, in controlled environments. Test station locations listed in this STA are selected for distance from populated, heavily automotive vehicle trafficked areas for safety; and the use of radar hardware previously certified by the FCC, operated at a low altitude (<500 ft) further limits exposure to signals radiated in the 76-81 GHz range. This testing and data collection will help FCC determine future safe use of the 76-81 GHz band, to maximize harmonious utilization of the spectrum for future autonomy and Urban Air Mobility safety standards.
Special Temporary Authority application - Information
Callsign:
WA8XAE
Class of Station:
MO
Nature of Service:
Experimental
Special Temporary Authority application - Initial values - Requested Period of Operation
Operation Start Date:
06/16/2026
Special Temporary Authority application - Manufacturer
Equipment 1 Experimental
No
Equipment 1 Manufacturer
Uhnder Inc.
Equipment 1 Model Number
UR-AS2120
Equipment 1 No. Of Units
3
Special Temporary Authority application - Purpose of Operation
Please explain the purpose of operation:
Flight testing at low altitudes is required to validate the technical performance of obstacle detection, including relevant obstacle types, standoff-off distances, and approach geometries. Additionally, exploratory test cases will be conducted to evaluate the effects of this operating frequency on ground based automotive radars at various altitudes. Several off the shelf automotive radars operating in the same band will be incorporated into the test setup and monitored for any indications of interference within their collected data. The resulting data can be shared with the FCC for general knowledge and assessment purposes. The radar to be tested is a modified version of an existing radar (FCC Identifier 2AXF3-URAS2120). In this testing, the antenna has been modified to enhance the elevation resolution. There are also additions to the receiver software to measure the height of obstacles on the ground. The planned test article consists of an externally mounted radar assembly installed on the AW-139 aircraft, using a dedicated mounting bracket attached near the nosecone, as well as separate drone flight tests planned with the radar assembly mounted on a drone. These tests may include a combination of maneuvers such as flyovers, pedal turns, and hovers. The radars will be turned on and operational only for short durations of time during low altitude phases of aircraft operations including takeoff, final approach, landing, taxi, hover, and hover taxi. The proposed testing will occur in a defined flight areas located >30miles outside of any Radio Astronomy Quiet Zone, far from radio astronomy sites capable of observing in the 76-81 GHz frequency band.
Special Temporary Authority application - Requested Period of Operation