Systems and methods for communicating with payload on an unmanned vehicle

An unmanned vehicle (UV), comprising:

• a processor configured to control operations of the UV;
• a first and a second communication interface for connecting to a payload device when the payload device is carried by the UV, the first and second communication interfaces being of different types from each other;
• a third communication interface for communicating with a remote station;
• and
• a non-transitory memory device storing machine-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to receive and transmit data, the processor configured to, when the first and second interfaces are connected to the payload device:
• receive, through the third communication interface, one or more data packets from the remote station for transmission to the payload device, wherein receiving the one or more data packets comprises receiving one or more headers associated with the one or more data packets, each received data packet being associated with one of the one or more headers and being designated, based on the associated header, for the first communication interface or the second communication interface;
• monitor a quality of service (QoS) of a first communication channel associated the first communication interface, to detect whether or not the QoS is below a predetermined threshold;
• upon detecting that the QoS is not below a predetermined threshold:
• transmit the one or more data packets to the payload device through the first communication interface when the one or more data packets are designated for the first communication interface, the first communication interface delivering the one or more data packets to the payload device;
• and
• transmit the one or more data packets to the payload device through the second communication interface when the one or more data packets are designated for the second communication interface, the second communication interface delivering the one or more data packets to the payload device;
• upon detecting that the QoS of the first communication channel is below the pre-determined threshold, when the one or more data packets are associated with the first communication channel and designated for the first communication interface, transmit the one or more data packets to the payload device through the second communication interface, the second communication interface delivering the one or more data packets to the payload device;
• wherein one of the first and second communication interfaces is configured to transmit data packets other than control commands, and the other one of the first and second communication interfaces is configured to transmit control commands for controlling operations of the payload device.