Aerial Base Stations
AeBS or UAV-mounted Base Station (UBS) is a flying antenna system that functions as a hub b/w the backhaul network and access network
Backhaul and Access Networks
Backhaul Network - The infrastructure that connects a local network or a subnetwork to the core or backbone network
Access Network - The network that connects end users to their immediate service provider
graph LR
A["Core/Backbone"]
C["End user/ISP"]
A ---|AeBS| C
A collection of AeBS is called a FANET (Flying Ad-hoc Network). In a FANET, AeBS communicate within each other using the 802.11p protocol, which is used in vehicular communications
Advantages and Limitations
| Advantages | Limitations |
|---|---|
| AeBS can be deployed ad hoc - They can be readied on demand. This is useful when covering areas where internet access is lost due to emergencies and in situations where disposable internet is required | There’s generally not enough energy to power an AeBS for long durations of time. There’s always a tradeoff between endurance and power |
| AeBS are more immune to interference due to having a LoS. This is an important advantage to make use of with 5G networks that use mm-wave technology that requires good LoS | The deployment of AeBS may breach data security and privacy because it opens a new point of attack or data interception |
| Broader internet coverage is provided across wider ground ranges |