Simulation-Based Enhancement of SNR in Drone Communication through Uniform Linear

Array Configurations

Gershom Phiri1, Mastaneh Mokayef1*, MHD Amen Summakieh1, M.K.A Ahamed Khan1, Sew Sun Tiang1, Wei Hong Lim1,
Abdul Qayyum2
1
Faculty of Engineering Technology and Built Environment, UCSI University,
Kuala Lumpur, 56000, Malaysia
*
Email: [email protected]
https://www.ucsiuniversity.edu.my/

2
National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, UK

Abstract
As drones navigate through shared airspace, they often encounter other drones, wireless devices, and communication
systems. This coexistence creates potential sources of interference that can degrade the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).
To maintain reliable communication in drone systems, it is crucial to effectively manage and mitigate interference
from other drones and wireless devices operating on the same frequency bands. By addressing these challenges, we
can ensure a stable and dependable SNR for seamless communication among drones. This paper sheds light on the
history of applications and challenges of utilizing flying base stations for wireless networks and analyzes different
factors that affect signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) to enhance the performance of drone communication.
Keywords: SNR, UAV, drone, Matlab, IoT

accurate data transmission [1]. However, achieving a

1. Introduction high signal-to-noise ratio in drone networks presents
several challenges [2]. The use of multiple drones
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are set to play a operating in close proximity can result in interference and
crucial role in the next generation of wireless networks, signal degradation, affecting the overall quality of
offering a promising solution to meet the ever-increasing communication. Moreover, the noise generated by the
user demands. Their mobility, flexibility, improved line- drones themselves, commonly referred to as ego-noise,
of-sight capabilities, and ability to reach inaccessible can further impact the signal-to-noise ratio. These
areas make them ideal candidates to act as aerial base challenges necessitate careful consideration and
stations. Researchers are actively exploring various innovative solutions to optimize the signal-to-noise ratio
aspects of deploying, analyzing performance, managing in drone networks, ensuring efficient and reliable
resources, optimizing trajectories, and modeling channels communication between drones and ground control
in such networks. This survey article focuses on different stations [3]. The interference experienced by each drone
applications and the algorithms involved in implementing at a particular location can be measured by its signal-to-
aerial base stations, providing a comprehensive review of noise ratio (SNR). The SNR is influenced by multiple
each research area. In summary, this article highlights the factors, including the transmission power levels, antenna
key applications, challenges, and technology employed in properties, drone altitude, path loss, and the power
the design and analysis of UAVs as base stations. spectral density of the surrounding noise. These variables
collectively contribute to the observed interference levels
In recent years, the widespread adoption of drones and play a crucial role in determining the quality of
across various industries and applications has been communication in drone networks [4]. The altitude at
remarkable. From capturing stunning aerial photographs which drones fly significantly impacts the signal-to-noise
to delivering packages, drones have become increasingly ratio in their networks. Higher altitudes result in larger
prevalent. One crucial factor that significantly influences distances between the transmitter and receiver, leading to
the performance and efficiency of drone networks is the a decrease in signal quality. Atmospheric attenuation
signal-to-noise ratio. The signal-to-noise ratio represents further contributes to signal loss as altitude increases.
the ratio between the desired signal and unwanted noise Transmission power levels and antenna characteristics of
in a communication system. A high signal-to-noise ratio drones also play a vital role in determining signal strength.
is paramount for clear and reliable communication Optimal power levels ensure overcoming noise and
between drones and ground control stations, as well as for interference, while antenna properties affect signal

©The 2024 International Conference on Artificial Life and Robotics (ICAROB2024), J:COM HorutoHall, Oita, Japan, 2024

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Gershom Phiri, Mastaneh Mokayef, MHD Amen Summakieh, M. K. A Ahamed Khan, Sew Sun Tiang, Wei Hong Lim, Abdul Qayyum

coverage and directionality. Lastly, the noise power communication requirements of UAVs, Table 1
spectral density, originating from various sources, concisely presents a summary of these requirements. This
introduces background noise that affects the overall reference table offers a clear and accessible overview of
signal-to-noise ratio. Careful consideration of these the key aspects involved in UAV communication,
factors is crucial for maintaining reliable communication making it easier for readers to grasp the necessary
in drone networks [5], [6], [7]. In [8], they delve into the information.
realm of drone-assisted backscatter communication
within an Internet of Things (IoT) sensor network. Their
work focuses on developing a framework to evaluate the Table 1: Essential Communication Requirements for
likelihood of ground-based sensor nodes being covered. UAV Systems
Raja's study in 2021 explores how communication
Data Type Data Rate
propagates between drones and base stations in indoor
environments, taking into account factors like diffraction, Synchronization (PSS/SSS)
frequency, and atmospheric attenuation [9]. While paper DL Radio control (PDCCH) N/A
[10] proposes an innovative multi-UAV communication
model that prioritizes security. This model employs a Command and control ( C&C) 60-100 kbps
wireless mesh network and cryptographic techniques to Command and Control (C &C) 60-100 kbps
ensure efficient and protected communication among
UL Application data Up to 50
multiple drones. The study underscores the significance
of establishing reliable data communication security Mbps
between drones and servers. Collectively, these papers A Comparative Study of the distinctive features of
offer valuable insights into coverage probability drone types are presented in [9], [10], [11] and the
assessment, propagation mechanisms, multi-UAV summary of these results is tabulated in Table 2.
coordination, and security measures within the realm of
drone communication. To aid in understanding the
Table 2: Distinctive Features of Drone Types [11], [12]
Micro Very Small Small Medium Large (weight>150kg)
(weight6100g) (100g<weight<2kg (2kg6weight<25kg) (25kg6weight6150kg)
)
Model Kogan nano Parrot Disco DJI Spreading Wings Scout B-330 UAV Predator B
drone S900 helicopter

Illustration A B C D E
16g N/A 750g 3.3kg 90kg 2223kg
Multi-rotor N/A 4.9 kg 50kg 1700kg
Fixed-wing Multi-rotor Multi-rotor 1700kg
Multi-rotor
Weight 16g 750g 3.3kg 90kg 2223gg
Payload N/A N/A 4.9kg 50kg 1700kg
Flying Multi-rotor Fixed-wing Multi-rotor Multi-rotor Multi-rotor
mechanism

Range 50-80 m 2km N/A N/A 1852km

Altitude N/A N/A N/A 3km 15km
Flight time 6-8 min 45min 18min 180min 1800min

Speed N/A 80 km/h 57.6 km/h 100km/h 482km/h

(horizontal)
Power 3.7V/160mAh 2700mAh/25A 3- LiPo Battery (6S, Gasoline 950-shaft-horsepower
supply Li-battery cell 10000mAh_15000mAh, Turboprop Engine
LiPo Battery 15C(Min))

2. Methodology analyzing a key metric of the SNR. This metric will be

2.1. Performance evaluation Through SNR strength used to thoroughly assess and scrutinize the effectiveness
of drone operations, providing valuable insights into their
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have gained overall efficacy. SNR is commonly expressed in decibels
significant popularity, due to their autonomous features, and represents the ratio of signal power to noise power.
versatility, and wide range of applications. In this section, An SNR greater than 1:1 (greater than 0 dB) indicates that
we will delve into a detailed evaluation of drone the signal is stronger than the noise. When information is
performance. Our main focus will revolve around transmitted wirelessly from one point to another, it is

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 Simulation-Based Enhancement of SNR

referred to as a data link. In the context of unmanned optimal output quality, it is recommended to have an
aviation, this wireless transmission is known as a radio SNR higher than -20 dB. The graph illustrates a gradual
link or radio modem. The data link enables the exchange decline in signal quality as the range increases, with the
of information between the aircraft's autopilot and the highest signal quality observed in close proximity to the
Ground Control Station (GCS). This communication transmitter. Considering the fixed parameters of a
involves two distinct links: the uplink, which transmits frequency threshold of 2.4 GHz, a power threshold of 1W,
information from the GCS to the aircraft, and the and a specific distance, it becomes evident that a stronger
downlink, which transmits information from the aircraft signal is required at a distance of 1m and a frequency of
to the GCS. Eq. (1) is used to calculate the SNR level. 10 MHz, with a transmit power of 1W [11]. This is due
to the reduced interference from various sources such as
𝑆𝑁𝑅 (𝑑𝐵) = 𝑃 𝑠𝑖𝑔𝑛𝑎𝑙 (𝑑𝐵) − 𝑃𝑛𝑜𝑖𝑠𝑒 (𝑑𝐵) (1) remote controls, phones, Bluetooth devices, plants, and
buildings, which tend to degrade the signal quality. As
the distance between the transmitter and receiver
Where P is the power. The power levels can be
increases, the SNR decreases, indicating weaker signal
expressed in decibels per dBm. The range at which a
quality at longer ranges.
drone can fly in relation to a base station is determined by
the minimum SNR required for the specific application.
It is important to establish the maximum distance that can 3. SNR enhancement by Array Gain for Line-of-
be achieved while maintaining the desired SNR. During Sight Propagation
flight, the SNR changes as the drone moves through
different distances, adapting to meet the target SNR. To SNR enhancement by array gain is a technique used to
illustrate this relationship, Fig. 1 depicts a simulation improve the quality and reliability of wireless
graph created using MATLAB, showing how the SNR is communication in line-of sight propagation scenarios.
influenced by the distance traveled by the drone. Modern wireless communication systems often
implement large-scale antenna arrays to take advantage
of the benefits offered by array gain [14]. To improve the
SNR level and consequently wireless communication, we
proposed the use of an array antenna instead of the single
antenna into the drone side [15], [16]. The SNR is
calculated and compared for both SISO and SIMO cases
using Eq. (2) and Eq. (3) respectively.

𝑃𝑡 𝐺𝑡 𝐺𝑟 𝜆2
𝑆𝑁𝑅𝑠𝑖𝑠𝑜 = (2)
4𝜋𝑑 2 𝑁0

Where 𝑃𝑡 , 𝐺𝑡 , 𝐺𝑟 , and 𝜆 are transmitted power,

Transmitted gain, Received gain and wavelength of
a. transmitted signal respectively. The 𝑑 and 𝑁0 also stands
for distance between transmitter-receiver, and the noise
power.

𝑃𝑡 𝐺𝑡 ∑ 𝐺𝑟𝑖 𝜆2
𝑆𝑁𝑅𝑠𝑖𝑠𝑜 = (3)
4𝜋𝑑 2 𝑁0

Where 𝐺𝑟𝑖 is the gain of the i-th receiving antenna.

The result of these calculations has been presented in a

comparison way showing the energy per bit to noise
power spectral density ratio. This technique is commonly
used as a metric to quantify the quality of a
b. communication system in terms of the received signal
Fig. 1 SNR as a function of (a) distance traveled by power and the noise power affecting the transmission.
drone, and (b) frequency of operation [13]

2.2. SNR enhancement methods

The analysis presented in Fig. 1 provides valuable

insights into the significance of the signal-to-noise ratio
(SNR) in determining the quality of output. The observed
threshold value for SNR is -10 dB; however, to achieve

©The 2024 International Conference on Artificial Life and Robotics (ICAROB2024), J:COM HorutoHall, Oita, Japan, 2024

180
Gershom Phiri, Mastaneh Mokayef, MHD Amen Summakieh, M. K. A Ahamed Khan, Sew Sun Tiang, Wei Hong Lim, Abdul Qayyum

communications and Internet of Things (IoT)

communications. When equipped with cellular links,
drones require secure and low-latency communication
with ground base stations. The coherent nature of
received signals through the Single-Input Multiple-
Output (SIMO) receive array presents an opportunity to
direct the array towards the transmitter, thereby
increasing the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR). Analysis of
the Bit Error Rate (BER) curve reveals a gain of 6 dB
achieved through the utilization of the receive array. This
gain indicates that the receiver has knowledge of the
incoming signal path. These findings highlight the
advantages of incorporating UAVs into wireless
Fig. 2 Energy per Bit to Noise Power Spectral
networks, showcasing their potential to enhance coverage,
Density Ratio (E/N) Comparison for SISO and power, and communication capabilities. The ability to
SIMO Systems steer the receive array towards the transmitter, coupled
with the coherent nature of received signals, contributes
Due to the LOS communications, the transmitter and to improved SNR and overall system performance.
receiver are in direct communication. For the ease of Future research can focus on optimizing UAV
calculation, a four-element Uniform Linear Array (ULA) deployments, refining beamforming techniques, and
with half-wavelength spacing, is considered in our exploring additional applications where UAVs can be
simulations. The SISO and SIMO channel BER and the effectively utilized in wireless networks. By harnessing
energy per bit to noise power spectral density ratio is the capabilities of UAVs in these contexts, advancements
depicted in Fig. 2. In a SIMO system, the BER curve can be made towards more secure, reliable, and efficient
demonstrates a notable improvement of 6 dB when a wireless communication systems.
receive array is utilized. This gain is primarily attributed
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 Simulation-Based Enhancement of SNR

9. G. Raja, S. Anbalagan, A. Ganapathisubramaniyan, M. S. Dr. M. KA. Ahamed Khan

Selvakumar, A. K. Bashir, and S. Mumtaz, "Efficient and He completed his undergraduate degree
secured swarm pattern multi-UAV communication," IEEE in Electronics and Communication
Transactions on Vehicular Technology, vol. 70, no. 7, pp. Engineering and postgraduate degree in
7050-7058, 2021. Electronics and Control Engineering in
10. F. Ronaldo, D. Pramadihanto, and A. Sudarsono, "Secure India. Additionally, he obtained an
communication system of drone service using hybrid advanced diploma in Power Electronics
cryptography over 4g/lte network," in 2020 International and Drives from Lucas-Nuelle in
Electronics Symposium (IES), 2020: IEEE, pp. 116-122. Germany in 2002, and a Diploma in Drives and Controls
11. B. Vergouw, H. Nagel, G. Bondt, and B. Custers, "Drone from Woo Sun in Korea in 2014. He pursued a PhD in
technology: Types, payloads, applications, frequency Robotics, Power Electronics, and Controls in the United
spectrum issues and future developments," The Future of States and holds certifications. He is a Senior member of
Drone Use: Opportunities and Threats from Ethical and the IEEE in the USA and a member of MIET in the UK.
Legal Perspectives, pp. 21-45, 2016.
12. P. Garg, "Characterisation of Fixed-Wing Versus Dr. Sew Sun Tiang
Multirotors UAVs/Drones," Journal of Geomatics, vol. 16, She is an Assistant Professor in Faculty
no. 2, pp. 152-159, 2022. of Engineering at UCSI University in
13. G. Phiri, M. Mokayef, S. S. Tiang, and W. C. Hong, Malaysia. She received her PhD in
"Drone Performance Analysis Based on SNR Factor," Electrical and Electronic Engineering
2022. from Universiti Sains Malaysia in 2014.
14. L. N. Ribeiro, A. L. de Almeida, and J. C. Mota, "Low- Her research interests are optimization
rank tensor MMSE equalization," in 2019 16th and antenna design.
International Symposium on Wireless Communication
Systems (ISWCS), 2019: IEEE, pp. 511-516.
Dr. Wei Hong Lim
15. M. Khalily, M. R. Kamarudin, M. Mokayef, S. Danesh,
He is an Assistant Professor in Faculty of
and S. E. A. Ghahferokhi, "A new wideband circularly
Engineering at UCSI University in
polarized dielectric resonator antenna," Radioengineering,
Malaysia. He received his PhD in
vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 175-180, 2014.
Computational Intelligence from
16. A. A. Aldair, M. T. Rashid, A. F. Halihal, and M. Mokayef,
Universiti Sains Malaysia in 2014. His
"Design of pitch angle controller for wind turbine based on
research interests are optimization and
pi neurofuzzy model," Indonesian Journal of Electrical
artificial intelligence.
Engineering and Computer Science, vol. 15, no. 3, pp.
1664-1670, 2019
Dr. Abdul Qayyum
He received his PhD in Electrical and
Electronic Engineering from Universiti
Authors Introduction Teknologi Petronas, Malaysia, in 2018.
He developed the totype. Previously, he
Dr. Mastaneh Mokayef completed his bachelor's degree in
She has received her PhD from Wireless computer engineering and master's
Communication Centre Faculty of degree in electronic engineering from
Electrical Engineering in University Pakistan. He is a postdoctoral researcher at the University
Technology Malaysia (UTM) in 2014. of Burgundy, France, where he studies cardiac MRI images
She has also obtained her master’s degree using deep learning approaches. He is currently affiliated
from the faculty of engineering in 2009 with the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial
from the University Technology College London, UK.
Malaysia. She has been working in UCSI
University, Malaysia, since 2015 in which she currently
serves as an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of
Engineering and Built Environment. Her research interests
include: Wireless communications, spectrum sharing
method, spectrum management, etc.

Mr. MHD Amen Summakieh

He received the B.Eng. degree (Hons.) in
communication and electronics
engineering from UCSI University,
Malaysia, in 2016, and the M.Eng.Sc.
degree from Multimedia University,
Malaysia, in 2020. His research interests
include heterogeneous LTE-advanced
cellular networks, user association,
metaheuristic algorithms, and antennas design.

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