Analysis of Multiple Antenna Techniques for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Communication

Abstract

Military and civil applications of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are increasing at rapid pace. These applications range from battlefield surveillance to goods transportation. Despite their usefulness, UAVs typically require appropriate communication connectivity for their successful operation, which is a very challenging task. Therefore, to ensure enhanced utilization of UAVs in future, it is important to have reliable and high data rate wireless communication links between UAVs and their ground stations. For achieving this objective, UAVs can be integrated into existing cellular networks as aerial users. Cellular communication support to UAVs is generating new research challenges and opportunities. One way of enhancing the cellular communication support to UAVs is to use multiple antennas. In this article, we present an overview of this promising technology, by initially covering UAV cellular communications. We then carry out analysis of various multiple antenna techniques to bring out the aspect of improvement of performance of the UAV communication links, particularly by increasing the number of antennas.KeywordsRemotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS)Unmanned aircraft system (UAS)Third-generation partnership project (3GPP)5G communicationLong-term evolution (LTE)