Chirp Spread Spectrum Signaling for Future Air-Ground Communications

In this paper, we investigate the use of chirp spread spectrum signaling over air-ground channels. This includes evaluation of not only the traditional linear chirp, but also of a new chirp signal format we have devised for multiple access applications. This new format is more practical than prior multi-user chirp systems in the literature, because we allow for imperfect synchronism. Specifically we evaluate multi-user chirp signaling over air-ground channels in a quasi-synchronous condition. The air-ground channels we employ are models based upon an extensive NASA measurement campaign. We show that our new signaling scheme outperforms the classic linear chirp in these air-ground settings.Comment: This paper published in IEEE Milcom conference November 2019. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1909.0988

UAV Command and Control, Navigation and Surveillance: A Review of Potential 5G and Satellite Systems

Drones, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or unmanned aerial systems (UAS) are expected to be an important component of 5G/beyond 5G (B5G) communications. This includes their use within cellular architectures (5G UAVs), in which they can facilitate both wireless broadcast and point-to-point transmissions, usually using small UAS (sUAS). Allowing UAS to operate within airspace along with commercial, cargo, and other piloted aircraft will likely require dedicated and protected aviation spectrum at least in the near term, while regulatory authorities adapt to their use. The command and control (C2), or control and non-payload communications (CNPC) link provides safety critical information for the control of the UAV both in terrestrial-based line of sight (LOS) conditions and in satellite communication links for so-called beyond LOS (BLOS) conditions. In this paper, we provide an overview of these CNPC links as they may be used in 5G and satellite systems by describing basic concepts and challenges. We review new entrant technologies that might be used for UAV C2 as well as for payload communication, such as millimeter wave (mmWave) systems, and also review navigation and surveillance challenges. A brief discussion of UAV-to-UAV communication and hardware issues are also provided.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, IEEE aerospace conferenc