Systems and methods for managing radio frequency spectrum in ground to aerial vehicle communications

A system for allocating radio frequency (RF) spectrum traffic resources in an air-to-ground communications network, the system comprising:

• a memory;
• one or more processors;
• wherein the memory stores one or more programs that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
• receive a flight plan from a user, wherein the flight plan comprises timing, location, and altitude information for a flight that is to fly in one or more coverage areas of the air-to-ground communications network, wherein the received flight plan includes a plurality of flight segments;
• determine RF communication channel availability for each flight segment of the plurality of flight segments based on the received flight plan from the user, wherein determining RF communication channel availability for each flight segment of the plurality of flight segments comprises:
• select an RF spectrum traffic resource from a traffic resource pool based on the received flight plan;
• and
• determine that a performance of the selected RF spectrum traffic resource is a above a pre-determined threshold, wherein the determination is based on one or more RF spectrum traffic resources previously reserved for one or more flight plans from other users, and wherein the determination is based on radio configuration information associated with the received flight plan;
• and
• in accordance with determining RF communication channel availability for each flight segment of the plurality of flight segment, reserve the selected RF spectrum traffic resource associated with each flight segment of the plurality of flight segments for the received flight plan, prior to commencement of the flight.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs for allocating RF spectrum channels in an air-to-ground communications network, for execution by one or more processors of an electronic device that when executed by the device, cause the device to:

• receive a flight plan from a user, wherein the flight plan comprises timing, location, and altitude information for a flight that is to fly in one or more coverage areas of the air-to-ground communications network, wherein the received flight plan includes a plurality of flight segments;
• determine RF communication channel availability for each flight segment of the plurality of flight segments based on the received flight plan from the user, wherein determining RF communication channel availability for each flight segment of the plurality of flight segments comprises:
• select an RF spectrum traffic resource from a traffic resource pool based on the received flight plan;
• and
• determine that a performance of the selected RF spectrum traffic resource is a above a pre-determined threshold, wherein the determination is based on one or more RF spectrum traffic resources previously reserved for one or more flight plans from other users, and wherein the determination is based on radio configuration information associated with the received flight plan;
• and
• in accordance with determining RF communication channel availability for each flight segment of the plurality of flight segment, reserve the selected RF spectrum traffic resource associated with each flight segment of the plurality of flight segments for the received flight plan, prior to commencement of the flight.