Traditionally, UAVs operate on a one-to-one transmission mode where the UAVs have one data link between one ground command and control station. Therefore, the radius at which the UAV can travel is limited. The bandwidth of the traditional link is limited to less than 8Mbps and the quality of the video is below 1080p. 4G technology has been applied to the UAV data link to solve some of these more traditional problems. However, the 4G data link also comes with its own limitations such as downlink interference and can only be useful in scenarios with a high delay tolerance.
5G technology solves the spatial coverage problem by increasing the number of antenna modules and fusing the antenna module and radio hardware. The result is a three-dimensional beam. The UAV itself can be used as a base station for the 5G network, so that all ground stations can be connected as the UAV continues its flight path. UAVs can also be used as aerial nodes in a larger swarm network to offer coverage over larger areas. Additionally, the use of the OpenStack architecture can allow the Navy to customize protocols as desired.
The proposed research includes investigating how current UAV to ship/shore communications are conducted. The objective of this thesis is to determine if 5G communications are possible between UAV and ship/shore assets, to successfully connect a UAV to the 4G and possibly 5G network and to determine if UAVs can send data between each other to the ground station.Lieutenant Commander, United States NavyApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited
