Publication Type

Conference Proceeding Article

Version

acceptedVersion

Publication Date

5-2020

Abstract

Intelligent reflective surfaces (IRSs) capable of reconfiguring their electromagnetic absorption and reflection properties in real-time are offering unprecedented opportunities to enhance wireless communication experience in challenging environments. In this paper, we analyze the potential of IRS in enhancing cellular communications for UAVs, which currently suffers from poor signal strength due to the down-tilt of base station antennas optimized to serve ground users. We consider deployment of IRS on building walls, which can be remotely configured by cellular base stations to coherently direct the reflected radio waves towards specific UAVs in order to increase their received signal strengths. Using the recently released 3GPP ground-to-air channel models, we analyze the signal gains at UAVs due to the IRS deployments as a function of UAV height as well as various IRS parameters including size, altitude, and distance from base station. Our analysis suggests that even with a small IRS, we can achieve significant signal gain for UAVs flying above the cellular base station. We also find that the maximum gain can be achieved by optimizing the location of IRS including its altitude and distance to BS.

Keywords

Intelligent Reflective Surface, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, UAV Communications, Cellular UAV

Discipline

Artificial Intelligence and Robotics | Digital Communications and Networking

Research Areas

Intelligent Systems and Optimization

Publication

Proceedings of the 2020 IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference (WCNC), Virtual Conference, May 25-28

First Page

1

Last Page

6

ISBN

9781728131061

Identifier

10.1109/wcnc45663.2020.9120632

Publisher

IEEE

City or Country

Virtual Conference

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