Name the abstraction

A topology model represents connectivity. It does not automatically represent radio propagation, contention, packet loss or vehicle dynamics. The visual richness of a model can obscure this distinction. State the abstraction alongside the controls.

Preserve the experiment

Version the scenario, inputs, random seed, model and evaluation rules together. Reproducibility supports regression testing and review. A chart without the conditions that produced it is a presentation artifact, not an engineering record.

Define the transition criterion

Decide what evidence would justify a higher-fidelity model or hardware integration. Compare simulation behavior with measured observations and record discrepancies. Confidence should grow from validation, not from rendering quality.

Architecture notation / illustrative pseudocode
experiment = {
  model: "topology-v1",
  scenario: "link-loss",
  seed: 42,
  evaluation: ["reachable-nodes", "local-services"]
};

model + assumptions + inputs + evaluation = reviewable experiment

SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE / TWIN

Sensing → networking → compute → intelligence → human decision

Interactive model loads as you approach. The engineering scope and constraints are provided in the page text.

References & further reading

Original Aerlix engineering commentary. The following sources provide broader background; they do not endorse Aerlix or validate the demonstrators.

  1. [1] NASA Systems Engineering Handbook
  2. [2] NIST Digital Twins