Aerial Coverage Analysis of Cellular Systems at LTE and mmWave Frequencies Using 3D City Models

Area of Science:

• Wireless communication
• Aerial networks
• Radio propagation

Background:

• Cellular connectivity for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) offers potential for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) communication.
• Inter-cell interference is a primary limitation for UAVs operating at high altitudes.
• Existing cellular infrastructure may not adequately support aerial users.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of inter-cell interference on UAV cellular connectivity at high altitudes.
• To evaluate the performance of millimeter wave (mmWave) cells for UAV coverage.
• To explore the potential of beamforming for enhancing aerial user connectivity.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a realistic 3D simulator model with actual base station locations.
• Compared coverage probabilities for ground users and UAVs at various altitudes.
• Analyzed the effects of replacing existing base stations with mmWave cells.
• Assessed the role of beamforming in mitigating interference and improving link budget.

Main Results:

• High-altitude UAVs experience significant interference, leading to poorer coverage than ground users.
• Deployment of mmWave cells improved coverage for UAVs just above rooftop level to 100%, while ground coverage decreased to 90%.
• UAVs at higher altitudes continued to suffer from substantial interference even with mmWave cells.

Conclusions:

• Millimeter wave (mmWave) technology shows promise for improving low-altitude UAV connectivity.
• Beamforming is identified as a critical technology for overcoming interference and ensuring reliable connectivity for high-altitude aerial users.
• Further research into beamforming techniques is essential for robust UAV cellular networks.