Research on the Interference Effects of 5G’s Key Parameters on Radio Altimeters

The 5G frequency band is extremely close to the operating frequency band of radio altimeters (RAs), so an in-depth study of the possible interference of 5G’s key parameters on RAs is especially necessary to ensure aviation safety. In this paper, the interference magnitude of 5G waveforms on an altimeter was measured by simulating the Adjacent Channel Leakage Power Ratio (ACLR) values for different sub-carrier spacing (SCS) and channel bandwidth configurations. Furthermore, interference injection experiments on simulated 5G signals and the interference thresholds of a frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) altimeter were compared to experiments on the effects of the different configurations of 5G SCSs, channel bandwidths, and center frequency points. The interference thresholds of this FMCW altimeter were found to be in the range of 1 dBm to 6 dBm and −4 dBm to 0 dBm under the interference of 5G signals at the center frequency points of 3.7 GHz and 3.9 GHz. These results provided a certain reference for the engineering judgement margin of the interference thresholds.