1.2) Timeline
AERPAW is being deployed in three phases.
Phase-1: Three fixed AERPAW radio nodes are deployed in Centennial Campus (2) and Lake Wheeler (1). By the end of Phase-1, AERPAW expects to be generally available with initial features for experimentation by external users. Additional information on Phase-1 general availability can be found under Section 1.4) Equipment Information and Section 4) Sample Experiments Repository.
Phase-2: AERPAW will deploy 5 additional Fixed Radio Nodes (4 in Lake Wheeler and 1 in Centennial Campus) and 6 additional Portable Radio Nodes in addition to a Drone Operations Center in Lake Wheeler Labs.
Phase-3: Due to evolving priorities and updated constraints on in-kind equipment provided by NSF and PAWR Project Office, Phase-3 plans have diverged from as originally envisaged. At this time, Phase-3 will focus on adding additional software and data assets to the platform, primarily additional example experiment software. Some custom radio equipment, such as an Ericsson system (base station, core, app server) and a Facebook Terragraph, will also become available to Experimenters during Phase-3. No further AERPAW Radio Nodes are expected to be deployed as part of the NSF-funded AERPAW project, although there are tentative plans to deploy additional Fixed Radio Nodes in Lake Wheeler, Centennial Campus, and Town of Cary, subject to the availability of funds from other sources.
Phases beyond Phase-3 will focus on platform operations. Additional details for AERPAW's development, deployment, and operations plan and timeline will be provided below as they become available.