Non-Line-of-Sight Atmospheric Optical Communication in the Visible Wavelength Range between UAV and the Ground Surface

Abstract

An opto-electronic system for non-line-of-sight (NLOS) communication using scattered laser radiation for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)–ground and ground–UAV schemes at a wavelength of λ = 450 nm and a ground–UAV scheme at a wavelength of λ = 510 nm are described. The symbol error rate (SER) and its standard deviation were analyzed for different schemes of the communication channel. The transceiver system included a laser source with a power supply, a modulator, a lens refractor, a bandpass filter, a photomultiplier tube (PMT), a demodulator, and a receiving computer. The experimental data obtained at nighttime showed that the NLOS atmospheric optical communication at a wavelength of λ = 450 nm was feasible for the UAV–ground scheme at a baseline distance of up to 150 m for a UAV with a transmitter at a height of 10 m and at a baseline distance of up to 125 m for a UAV at a height of 20 m. For the ground–UAV scheme, stable communication was observed at baseline distances of up to 50 m for a UAV with a receiver at a height up to 30 m. The NLOS atmospheric optical communication at a wavelength of 510 nm was obtained for the ground–UAV scheme at baseline distances of up to 100 m for a UAV with a receiver at a height up to 45 m, as well as at baseline distances of up to 385 m for UAV flying at a height up to 20 m.