Controlling network connectivity of an uncrewed vehicle

A network node or system of network nodes for providing a connectivity control function to control network connectivity of an uncrewed vehicle, wherein the uncrewed vehicle is configured to establish simultaneous signaling data connections to at least a first wireless network and a second wireless network and to receive navigation instructions from a navigational control system via a control data connection established via the first wireless network, wherein the network node or system of network nodes comprises:

• a network interface to the first wireless network;
• a processor subsystem for implementing the connectivity control function, wherein the processor subsystem is configured to:
• obtain data indicative of a quality-of-service which the first wireless network provides or is able to provide in the future for the control data connection;
• based on the data, determine if the second wireless network is able to provide a better quality-of-service for the control data connection than the first wireless network;
• and
• if it is determined that the second wireless network is able to provide the better quality-of-service, send a connectivity control instruction to the uncrewed vehicle via at least one signaling data connection, wherein the connectivity control instruction is to switch the control data connection to the second wireless network.

A navigational control system configured to navigationally control an uncrewed vehicle by sending navigation instructions via a control data connection to the uncrewed vehicle, wherein the navigational control system comprises a processor subsystem configured to implement a connectivity control function to control network connectivity of the uncrewed vehicle, wherein the uncrewed vehicle is configured to establish simultaneous signaling data connections to at least a first wireless network and a second wireless network and to receive navigation instructions from the navigational control system via the control data connection established via the first wireless network, wherein the processor subsystem is configured to:

• obtain data indicative of a quality-of-service which the first wireless network provides or is able to provide in the future for the control data connection;
• based on the data, determine if the second wireless network is able to provide a better quality-of-service for the control data connection than the first wireless network;
• and
• if it is determined that the second wireless network is able to provide the better quality-of-service, send a connectivity control instruction to the uncrewed vehicle via at least one signaling data connection, wherein the connectivity control instruction is to switch the control data connection to the second wireless network.

A computer-implemented method of switching control data connections at an uncrewed vehicle, wherein the uncrewed vehicle is configured to establish simultaneous signaling data connections to at least a first wireless network and a second wireless network, wherein the method comprises:

• via the first wireless network, establishing a control data connection to a navigational control system, wherein the navigational control system is configured to provide navigation instructions to the uncrewed vehicle via the control data connection;
• establishing via the first wireless network a first signaling data connection to a connectivity control function, and via the second wireless network a second signaling data connection to the connectivity control function wherein the connectivity control function is configured to control network connectivity of the uncrewed vehicle;
• via at least one of the first signaling data connection and the second signaling data connection, receiving a connectivity control instruction from the connectivity control function;
• and
• if the connectivity control instruction is to switch the control data connection to the second wireless network, effecting the switch of the control data connection to the second wireless network.

A computer-implemented method of controlling network connectivity of an uncrewed vehicle, wherein the uncrewed vehicle is configured to establish simultaneous signaling data connections to at least a first wireless network and a second wireless network and to receive navigation instructions from a navigational control system via a control data connection established via the first wireless network, wherein the method comprises:

• obtaining data indicative of a quality-of-service which the first wireless network provides or is able to provide in the future for the control data connection;
• based on the data, determining if the second wireless network is able to provide a better quality-of-service for the control data connection than the first wireless network;
• and
• if it is determined that the second wireless network is able to provide the better quality-of-service, sending a connectivity control instruction to the uncrewed vehicle, wherein the connectivity control instruction is to switch the control data connection to the second wireless network.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising data representing a computer program, the computer program comprising instructions for causing a processor system to:

• via the first wireless network, establish a control data connection to a navigational control system, wherein the navigational control system is configured to provide navigation instructions to the uncrewed vehicle via the control data connection;
• establish via the first wireless network a first signaling data connection to a connectivity control function, and via the second wireless network a second signaling data connection to the connectivity control function wherein the connectivity control function is configured to control network connectivity of the uncrewed vehicle;
• via at least one of the first signaling data connection and the second signaling data connection, receive a connectivity control instruction from the connectivity control function;
• and
• if the connectivity control instruction is to switch the control data connection to the second wireless network, effect the switch of the control data connection to the second wireless network.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising data representing a computer program, the computer program comprising instructions for causing a processor system to:

• obtain data indicative of a quality-of-service which the first wireless network provides or is able to provide in the future for the control data connection;
• based on the data, determine if the second wireless network is able to provide a better quality-of-service for the control data connection than the first wireless network;
• and
• if it is determined that the second wireless network is able to provide the better quality-of-service, send a connectivity control instruction to the uncrewed vehicle, wherein the connectivity control instruction is to switch the control data connection to the second wireless network.