Feasibility Analysis of LTE-Based UAS Navigation in Deep Urban Areas and DSRC Augmentation.

Euiho Kim,Yujin Shin

doi:10.3390/s19194192

Abstract

The current autonomous navigation of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) heavily depends on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). However, in challenging environments, such as deep urban areas, GNSS signals can be easily interrupted, so that UAS may lose navigation capability at any instant. For urban positioning and navigation, Long Term Evolution (LTE) has been considered a promising signal of opportunity due to its dense network in urban areas, and there has recently been great advancement in LTE positioning technology. However, the current LTE positioning accuracy is found to be insufficient for safe UAS navigation in deep urban areas. This paper evaluates the positioning performance of the current network of LTE base stations in a selected deep urban area and investigates the effectiveness of LTE augmentations using dedicated short range communication (DSRC) transceivers through the optimization of the ground LTE/DSRC network and cooperative positioning among UAS. The analysis results based on simulation using an urban canyon model and signal line of sight propagations show that the addition of four or five DSRC transceivers to the existing LTE base station network could provide better than 4–6 m horizontal positioning accuracy (95%) in the selected urban canyon at a position of 150 ft above the ground, while a dense LTE network alone may result in a 15–20 m horizontal positioning error. Additionally, the simulation results of cooperative positioning with inter-UAS ranging measurements in the DSRC augmented LTE network were shown to provide horizontal positioning accuracy better than 1 m in most flight space, assuming negligible time-synchronization errors in inter-UAS ranging measurements.

Highlights

The signals of Global Satellite Navigation Systems (GNSS) are unreliable indoors and in urban areas, and the development of alternative positioning methods for these areas still remains a challenging problem while the demands on the positioning technologies in GNSS-denied environments escalate in various applications including public safety assurance in disastrous situations [1,2], smart parking systems [3,4], and operations of unmanned systems, to name a few
This paper investigates the augmentation alternatives of Long Term Evolution (LTE) with dedicated short range communication (DSRC) for safe and efficient unmanned aircraft systems (UAS)
LTE Positioning Accuracy with the Current Network in Deep Urban Areas in South Korea was constructed based on a digital map of Gangnam subway station intersection located at 396, Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Summary

Introduction

The signals of Global Satellite Navigation Systems (GNSS) are unreliable indoors and in urban areas, and the development of alternative positioning methods for these areas still remains a challenging problem while the demands on the positioning technologies in GNSS-denied environments escalate in various applications including public safety assurance in disastrous situations [1,2], smart parking systems [3,4], and operations of unmanned systems, to name a few. 2. LTE Positioning Accuracy with the Current Network in Deep Urban Areas in South Korea was constructed based on a digital map of Gangnam subway station intersection located at 396, Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea. (1 sigma) alone does not provide a sufficient positioning infrastructure for navigation in deep subsection will investigate an optimized hybrid LTE/DSRC network layout that further improves the urban areas. 3m network has a lower number of ranging sources but provides significantly better positioning accuracy and smaller confidence in the flightnetwork space. An LTE/DSRC network with 15 ranging sources would not provide a significantly better positioning accuracy than a barometric altimeter does.

Cooperative

Concept

Findings

Conclusions