Raptor-coded free-space optical communications experiment

While free-space optical (FSO) links have many inherent advantages, such as high data rates and license-free operation, they are sensitive to atmospheric conditions. A promising solution to improve the reliability of such communication links is to combine FSO and radio frequency (RF) channels using Raptor codes. This paper presents a first in-field demonstration of real-time Raptor-coded FSO communication over a 1.87 km urban link. This work …