UAV Communication Reliability via Adaptive Modulation and Coding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Providing reliable data services for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) during Beyond Visual Line of Site (BVLOS) operations is challenging due to communication reliability issues, such as decoding errors in command and control messages over wireless wide area networks.
Innovation Solution
Modifying the modulation and coding scheme, increasing the number of transmitters and receivers, and adjusting transmission power to enhance the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio, ensuring accurate message decoding at the UAV.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If standard modulation and coding schemes are used for UAV communications, then network resources are efficiently utilized, but communication reliability deteriorates due to decoding errors in command and control messages
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by dynamically adjusting the modulation and coding scheme (MCS) indices based on channel conditions and flight status. The system modifies transmission parameters such as modulation order, coding rate, and power levels to optimize both reliability and efficiency under varying operational conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements dynamics by making the transmission parameters adaptive rather than fixed. The MCS selection and power control are dynamically adjusted based on real-time feedback about channel quality, UAV position, and communication requirements, allowing the system to respond to changing conditions.
2Reliability
If transmission power is increased to improve signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio, then message decoding accuracy improves, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes power transmission parameters adaptively based on the required communication reliability and current channel conditions. Rather than maintaining high power continuously, the system adjusts power levels dynamically, using higher power only when necessary to achieve reliable decoding under poor channel conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies partial action by transmitting messages multiple times with different power levels or modulation schemes rather than always using maximum power. This allows the system to achieve reliable communication through repeated transmissions with optimized parameters rather than continuous high-power transmission.
3Reliability
If the number of transmitters and receivers is increased to improve communication reliability, then message transmission robustness improves, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple transmission attempts into a unified communication process. Instead of using multiple physical transmitters and receivers simultaneously, the system combines multiple transmissions of the same message with different modulation and coding schemes, treating them as a single redundant transmission system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses copying by transmitting multiple copies of the same command and control message with varying modulation and coding parameters. This allows the receiver to receive multiple versions of the message and select the most successfully decoded copy, achieving robustness without requiring multiple physical transmission devices.
Data Source
AI summary
A method may include identifying a network slice to service an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and assigning the identified network slice to the UAV. The method may also include receiving, from a user equipment (UE) device, a message intended for the UAV, transmitting the message to the UAV and receiving, from the UE device, information identifying an error rate associated with the message. The method may further include determining whether the error rate is greater than a threshold error rate and in response to determining that the error rate is greater than the threshold error rate, at least one of modifying a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) associated with transmitting the message to the UAV, or retransmitting the message to the UAV at least one time.