Aomway Optical Fiber Video and Data Links: Architecture and Specifications
Why 1270nm instead of 1550nm
This is the single most important engineering decision in the Aomway fiber link. 1550 nm lasers are extremely sensitive to fiber bending: even a small bend attenuates the optical signal, and once a spooled fiber passes through several bends the link carrying the control signal drops out entirely and the aircraft crashes.
Aomway therefore transmits the drone control signal at 1270 nm, a wavelength that is insensitive to fiber bending, while video is carried at 1330 nm. This greatly improves stability on links of 20 km and beyond.
Optical module specifications
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Wavelength | 1270 nm (control) / 1330 nm (video) |
| Supported range | 40 km, 60 km, 80 km |
| Control protocols | CRSF, SBUS |
| Interfaces | AV, UART |
| Input voltage | 9 – 36 V |
| Weight | 28.0 g |
| Dimensions | 36 × 15 × 15 mm |
Because the link is optical, it emits no radio frequency signature and cannot be jammed by RF countermeasures. That property, not the bandwidth, is why fiber links are specified for electronic-warfare environments.
Spools, drums and accessories
Aomway supplies the full fiber chain: internal payout spools with a glue-free design, external payout spools, a complete 15 km fiber drum set with accessories, and a rewinding machine for operators who re-spool their own fiber. The rewinding machine uses three PLC control systems with INOVANCE drives, a 2,500 rpm pay-off shaft rated to 30 kg, a 4,000 rpm take-up shaft and up to 600 m/min rewinding speed, with tension accuracy held below 0.67 g.
Applications
Fiber links are specified where radio silence is mandatory or where RF jamming is expected: tethered surveillance platforms, industrial inspection in RF-hostile sites, and defence-adjacent applications. The trade-off is physical: the aircraft is tethered, so range is limited by spool capacity rather than by link budget.
