Statistical Modeling of FSO Fronthaul Channel for Drone-based Networks

TL;DR

This paper models the geometric loss in drone-based FSO fronthaul channels, accounting for drone position and orientation fluctuations, providing bounds, approximations, and a statistical model validated by simulations.

Contribution

It introduces a novel statistical model for FSO channel loss in drone networks considering drone instability, with derived bounds and validated simulations.

Findings

Derived bounds and approximate expressions for geometric loss.

Validated the model through simulations showing impact of drone instability.

Quantified FSO channel quality as a function of drone position and orientation fluctuations.

Abstract

We consider a drone-based communication network, where several drones hover above an area and serve as mobile remote radio heads for a large number of mobile users. We assume that the drones employ free space optical (FSO) links for fronthauling of the users' data to a central unit. The main focus of this paper is to quantify the geometric loss of the FSO channel arising from random fluctuation of the position and orientation of the drones. In particular, we derive upper and lower bounds, corresponding approximate expressions, and a closed-form statistical model for the geometric loss. Simulation results validate our derivations and quantify the FSO channel quality as a function of the drone's instability, i.e., the variation of its position and orientation.