Experimental Study on LTE Mobile Network Performance Parameters for Controlled Drone Flights

Area of Science:

• Mobile Communications
• Network Engineering
• Aerospace Logistics

Background:

• Drone logistics increasingly rely on robust mobile networks.
• Understanding network performance at varying altitudes is crucial for reliable drone operations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze quantitative quality parameters of mobile communication networks for drone logistics.
• To establish recommended Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for future drone communication systems.

Main Methods:

• Experimental measurements of network parameters (RSRP, RSRQ, SINR, UL/DL speeds, ping) using a drone at altitudes of 40-110m.
• Analysis of data from a Latvian mobile operator's infrastructure.
• Automatic switching between LTE standards for comprehensive analysis.

Main Results:

• Identified critical network parameters: Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ), and Signal to Interference and Noise Ratio (SINR).
• Determined optimal KPI values: RSRP at -100 dBm, RSRQ at -16 dB, SINR at -5 dB, downlink/uplink speeds at 4096 kbps, and ping at 50 ms.

Conclusions:

• Established specific, quantitative KPI recommendations for mobile networks supporting controlled drone flights.
• Advocated for the integration of these KPIs into network coverage digital twin (DT) models for enhanced planning and management.