Interoperability and STANAG 4586 In Flight Control Systems By UAV Navigation-Grupo Oesía
Open architecture, resilience, ensuring safety and robustness
The vast majority of players in the aerospace sector— particularly within the Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) industry —have traditionally worked with monolithic solutions: closed systems that integrate all components, sensors, and elements into a single, tightly controlled system to ensure determinism, robustness, and reliability. However, the UAS aerospace market, marked by rapid evolution and constant innovation, along with NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) requirements, is progressively shifting toward open architectures that enable interoperability between systems from different manufacturers.
This is where the concept of open architecture becomes a key feature in any flight control system. The ability to integrate seamlessly with other sensors, subsystems, or payloads is critical for ensuring ease of use in real-world operational scenarios, reducing operator training time, and enhancing mission capabilities.
UAV Navigation–Grupo Oesía is fully aware of this market demand and has evolved its system into a flexible, open platform that fosters interoperability. In this article, we will explore some of the key aspects that define such architectures.
Interoperability with other systems for multi-domain operations under STANAG 4586
Open architecture systems are designed to communicate and collaborate more effectively with other platforms. This capability is particularly crucial in scenarios where multiple systems must operate together—such as in complex military or commercial missions. Our experience in projects involving NATO’s STANAG 4586 standard demonstrates our ability to support interoperability with third-party systems, contributing to enhanced operational efficiency.
This level of standardization not only simplifies the integration of diverse technologies but also guarantees that our systems remain secure, reliable, and adaptable in demanding operational environments. By aligning with STANAG 4586, we ensure our solutions are compatible with a wide range of military and commercial unmanned platforms and providers, offering robustness and versatility across real-world UAS deployments.
STANAG 4586 enables multiple practical capabilities: for example, it allows Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) using different flight controllers to be operated from a single Command and Control Station. It also supports handover maneuvers, where control of a UAV can be transferred between different Ground Control Stations (GCSs), while still sharing real-time data from onboard cameras or sensors.
A key feature of this protocol is the Vehicle Specific Module (VSM), which acts as a translator between STANAG 4586 messages and the UAV’s native communication protocol. This module acts as an interface adapter, enabling different types of UAVs to interact with a unified ground control interface, ensuring seamless and effective coordination. The VSM can be implemented on the GCS, the autopilot/Flight Control Computer (FCC), or even an intermediate module, offering flexible integration options based on system architecture. Importantly, STANAG 4586 does not mandate how the autopilot or internal protocols must be designed; it only specifies how to expose a compliant interface through the VSM
The standard defines up to five Levels of Interoperability (LOI), ranging from basic UAV telemetry display to full remote control by GCS
- LOI 1 allows the indirect receipt or sending of telemetry data of the UAV
- LOI 2 is the direct reception of telemetry from the UAV
- LOI 3 is the control and monitoring of the UAV payloads
- LOI 4 is the control and monitoring of the UAV, excluding take-off and landing
- LOI 5 is the full control and monitoring of the UAV
In practice, many systems only implement levels 2 or 3, instead of the full set of capabilities. In our system, interoperability capabilities have been demonstrated up to LOI 4. Our system implements this via master control architecture—for example, through our Visionair GCS software. External control requests are permitted but are always subject to supervision. For instance, if another GCS requests control of a UAV, a notification appears for the operator, who must explicitly authorize the handover. Once granted, the external GCS automatically receives telemetry and can issue commands without further prompts. This state persists until either the external GCS disconnects or the operator (Visionair) revokes access, ensuring that interoperability remains secure and under the operator’s control at all times.
This powerful combination of resilience and interoperability is essential for the success of both current and future multi-domain operations.
Open Source vs Open Architecture and STANAG 4586
It is essential to distinguish between open source and open architecture, particularly in the context of defense systems, where security, traceability, and certification are paramount
Open source refers to software whose source code is publicly accessible. While this model can foster innovation and facilitate bug detection through broad community collaboration, it also introduces specific challenges in mission-critical environments. The public availability of the code increases the surface of exposure, allowing potential adversaries to study it for vulnerabilities or even introduce subtle, malicious modifications if proper governance is not enforced.
Moreover, many open source projects include extensive legacy or opaque codebases, which can hinder full traceability, complicate certification processes, and make it difficult to ensure deterministic system behavior—requirements that are non-negotiable in defense applications.
At UAV Navigation–Grupo Oesía, we adopt a different philosophy. Our software is not open source by design. Instead, we develop compact, tightly controlled proprietary code where every line serves a clearly defined function. This allow Open Source vs Open Architecture and STANAG 4586 05 us to guarantee full traceability, ensure predictable system performance, and comply with the highest standards of safety and reliability. In defense, source code is rarely, if ever, shared openly, and for good reason: the cost of compromise is simply too high.
In contrast, open architecture refers to the use of standardized and secure interfaces that promote interoperability, without revealing the internal implementation details of a system. This approach enables flexible integration with third-party sensors, payloads, and subsystems while preserving strict control over cybersecurity and intellectual property.
A leading example of secure open architecture in action is STANAG 4586, the NATO standard that defines not only data formats but also robust frameworks for authentication, validation, and encrypted communication. It enables true multivendor interoperability across domains without compromising control or system integrity.
Ultimately, open source and open architecture are not interchangeable. The former is a development model; the latter is a system design philosophy. At UAV Navigation–Grupo Oesía, we are fully committed to the latter—precisely because it allows us to deliver secure, certifiable, and mission-ready systems for defense applications.
Our Commitment to STANAG 4586 and Open Architecture in Defense
At UAV Navigation–Grupo Oesía, we design professional-grade flight control systems that are secure, resilient, and interoperable—not by relying on open source, but through the use of tightly controlled and secure proprietary code combined with compatibility with open architecture standards such as STANAG 4586. This strategy ensures that our platforms are not only robust in contested environments but also seamlessly integrated into the broader defense ecosystem.
We have long been committed to advancing open architectures, and our most recent projects are a testament to that. In the PTA U-SCUAR project, a project financed by CDTI, for example, we successfully operated an Aurea Avionics UAV from our Visionair ground control station software, using partial implementation of STANAG 4586 architecture. This achievement represents a significant milestone in real-world interoperability between systems.
The future of aerospace technology —particularly in the field of unmanned systems— clearly points toward interoperability, flexibility, and resilience. At UAV Navigation–Grupo Oesía, we are fully aligned with this vision. We continue to develop advanced, secure solutions that not only meet today’s operational demands but are also prepared for the evolving challenges of tomorrow’s defense scenarios.
Brief Glossary
Open Architecture:
Modular system design approach that uses publicly available standards to enable interoperability, flexibility, and easy integration or replacement of components from different vendors
Open Source:
A system whose source code is freely available for anyone to view, modify, and distribute, typically developed collaboratively by a community of contributors.
Vehicle Specific Module (VSM):
A software and hardware component defined in NATO STANAG 4586 that translates a vehicle’s native protocols into standardized messages, enabling interoperability between unmanned systems and control stations.
STANAG 4586:
A NATO standard that defines a common architecture, interfaces, and communication protocols to ensure interoperability between UAV control systems and ground control stations across allied forces.
PTA:
A Spanish government initiative that funds strategic R&D projects in the aeronautical sector, aiming to develop advanced technologies, reduce environmental impact, and strengthen national capabilities through collaboration between companies and research institutions.
