UAV-Assisted Wireless Communications: An Experimental Analysis of A2G and G2A Channels

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) offer promising potential as communications node carriers, providing on-demand wireless connectivity to users. While existing literature presents various wireless channel models, it often overlooks the impact of UAV heading. This paper provides an experimental characterization of the Air-to-Ground (A2G) and Ground-to-Air (G2A) wireless channels in an open environment with no obstacles nor interference, considering the distance and the UAV heading. We analyze the received signal strength indicator and the TCP throughput between a ground user and a UAV, covering distances between 50 m and 500 m, and considering different UAV headings. Additionally, we characterize the antenna's radiation pattern based on UAV headings. The paper provides valuable perspectives on the capabilities of UAVs in offering on-demand and dynamic wireless connectivity, as well as highlights the significance of considering UAV heading and antenna configurations in real-world scenarios.