As part of the PNRR RESTART programme, one of the strategic missions focused on the development of Laboratories, Proofs of Concept, and Demonstrators. In this context, Politecnico di Bari has invested more than €2,500,000 in the creation of an experimental laboratory dedicated to the integration of terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks and services. The laboratory supports experimental activities within the structured projects ITA-NTN and NET4FUTURE, as well as the flagship project ARCADIA.
From a scientific standpoint, the iTNT-NS laboratory supports a wide range of activities, from experimentation to technological validation.
A key research direction is the study of coexistence between terrestrial and non-terrestrial communications in the FR1 band, carried out through field measurement campaigns made possible by the experimental licence for operating in the 5G N78 band, granted by the Italian Ministry for Enterprises and Made in Italy (MIMIT).
Another major research area concerns the performance analysis of a multi-level three-dimensional communication architecture for integrated T/NT networks, with specific focus on Quality of Service requirements and energy efficiency in 6G scenarios (including the Internet of Drones).
All RESTART partners belonging to Spoke 2, such as W3, FUB, UNIBO, CNR, UNIFI, and others, are actively involved.
The laboratory also works on the experimental validation of novel transmission techniques and advanced schemes for resource and service orchestration, essential to the project objectives. In parallel, it supports the definition of architectures and APIs required for next-generation test platforms for 5G and 6G networks.
Valued at approximately €100,000, this infrastructure includes essential equipment for local and wide-area connectivity and management: routers, switches, Wi-Fi 6 access points, firewalls, workstations, and UPS units. An additional €250,000 has been allocated for high-performance computing systems supporting simulation, emulation, and real-time control, including HPC clusters, dedicated servers, desktop and laptop workstations, plus auxiliary peripherals.
To explore advanced terrestrial/non-terrestrial communication scenarios, the laboratory is equipped with specialised T/NT instruments valued at around €1,800,000. This includes SDR platforms (such as 6 Ettus X410 units), satellite link emulators like the Keysight Propsim, LimeSDR Mini modules, mmWave beamforming systems (ADALM-PHASER, TMYTEK-NI BBox at 28 GHz), a fleet of drones (e.g., 10 Holybro units), RF instrumentation including VNAs, and additional resources for field testing.
A set of devices, valued at around €150,000, supports the validation of application use-cases and vertical scenarios.
The laboratory also features controlled indoor testing environments worth approximately €200,000.
These include:
- A flight cage measuring 7 × 3.5 × 4 meters equipped with a high-precision VICON-based localisation and tracking system
- An anechoic chamber measuring 2.6 × 2.6 × 4.8 meters for experiments in electromagnetically isolated environments.
The iTNT-NS laboratory has federated its technological infrastructure with other laboratories developed under the RESTART project, such as the WISYNET laboratory at Politecnico di Milano and the 5G networks deployed at FUB.
Looking toward the future, the laboratory aims to promote collaboration and co-innovation initiatives involving universities, industry, and stakeholders at regional, national, and international levels. Its horizon extends well beyond the duration of the RESTART programme.
The laboratory also plans to offer training and outreach opportunities (seminars, workshops, and educational activities) focused on next-generation communication technologies, networks, and services.
As such, the iTNT-NS laboratory represents a key asset for the development of enhanced experimental infrastructures in Southern Italy. It is positioned to attract additional future funding and strengthen the region’s role within Italy’s research and innovation landscape.