Reliable Communication Systems for Long-Range Drone Operations
Long-range drone operations face fundamental communication challenges: signal attenuation exceeding 120 dB at distances beyond 50 km, propagation delays ranging from 166 μs to several seconds depending on medium and transmission technology, and variable channel conditions that affect reliability. These constraints become particularly acute when drones must maintain continuous command and control links while operating beyond visual line of sight in dynamic environments.
The engineering challenge centers on balancing communication reliability against bandwidth limitations while maintaining acceptable latency for real-time control.
This page brings together solutions from recent research—including hybrid FSO-RF transmission systems that provide simultaneous path redundancy, hierarchical clustering architectures that optimize swarm communications, dual-link protocols that segregate bandwidth and latency requirements, and adaptive transport block sizing mechanisms for non-terrestrial networks. These and other approaches enable practical deployment of long-range drone operations while addressing the competing demands of reliability, throughput, and power efficiency.
1. High-Speed UAV Communication System with Kalman Filter-Based AoA Tracking and Doppler Shift Compensation
PUKYONG NATIONAL UNIVERSITY INDUSTRY-UNIVERSITY COOPERATION FOUNDATION, 2025
High-speed mobile UAV communications system that reduces overheads of beam training and compensates for Doppler shift in high-speed UAV scenarios. The system uses a base station (BS) with a single antenna to communicate with multiple UAVs. In initial beam training, the BS estimates an initial angle of arrival (AoA) for each UAV. It then tracks the actual AoA using a Kalman filter that considers geometry and angle changes. The BS calculates Doppler shift values based on the tracked AoAs, and compensates for Doppler in subsequent data transmissions. This allows real-time beam tracking and Doppler compensation for high-speed UAVs.
2. Drone Communication System with Altitude-Based Base Station Switching Mechanism
QUALCOMM INC, 2025
Enhancing wireless communication for drones by enabling efficient switching between base stations based on altitude. The method involves configuring drones with altitude-based measurement triggers that indicate when to report measurements. The network sends configuration with triggers like "below 100m report on cell 1, above 100m report on cell 2". This allows drones to know when to switch beams based on altitude, improving handover and reducing latency compared to fixed thresholds.
3. Communication System with Base Station-Controlled Consolidated Multi-Link Scheduling
SONY GROUP CORP, 2025
A communication system with improved performance for long-distance transmission like non-terrestrial networks. It uses a base station to generate scheduling info for multiple links between itself and a terminal device, including different types like uplink and downlink. The base station sends this consolidated scheduling data as a single control message to the terminal. This allows efficient multi-link coordination with reduced signaling overhead compared to separate scheduling for each link.
4. Channel Resource Management in Synchronous Wireless Distributed Systems with Periodic Broadcast-Based Conflict Avoidance
ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE, 2025
Efficiently managing channel resources in a synchronous wireless distributed communication system like drones, to prevent collisions and interference. The method involves terminals periodically broadcasting their allocated channel resources. Other terminals receive these broadcasts and use the information to select and allocate new resources that avoid conflicts. This allows terminals to proactively choose channels with less interference and collision potential, especially as their positions change. Reallocation occurs if conflicts are detected.
5. Random Access Procedure with Modified Opportunity Determination for Non-Terrestrial Networks
TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON, 2025
Random access procedure optimization for non-terrestrial networks like satellite and drone networks. The method involves modifying the random access procedure to improve performance in non-terrestrial networks. The steps include: 1. Terminal device determines random access opportunity (RO) based on network configuration. 2. Terminal device transmits preamble in determined RO. 3. Network node receives preamble within dedicated window based on RO configuration. 4. Network node determines RO based on shared channel transmission from terminal device. This allows linking received preambles to specific ROs, preventing collisions between ROs, and simplifying RO detection. It also involves transmitting timing information via shared channel to indicate RO timing.
6. Resilient Tracking in No-Network Zones: Hybrid Technologies for Location Awareness in Off-Grid Environments
v vijay kumar reddy - Indospace Publications, 2025
Abstract: - Conventional tracking systems relying on GPS and cellular infrastructure are ineffective in environments with little or no connectivitysuch as remote wilderness, mountainous regions, disaster-affected areas. This paper introduces a hybrid architecture that integrates satellite communication, mesh networking, Radio Tomographic Imaging (RTI), signal jumping, drone-assisted relays, Low-Power Wide-Area Networks (LPWAN). The proposed system addresses loss challenges by utilizing AI-driven prediction autonomous drones to extend coverage improve real-time traceability. Performance is evaluated through simulations real-world case studies based key metrics including coverage, latency, energy efficiency, reliability. approach demonstrates strong potential for critical applications search rescue, defense operations, systems, contributing toward the development of resilient off-grid communication technologies. Keywords: Remote Tracking, Dead Zones, Mesh Networks, Satellite Communication, Drone Relays, RTI, LPWAN, Signal Prediction, Off-Grid Search Rescue.
7. Wireless Communication Method Utilizing Extended Long Range Packets with Data Duplication and Distributed Resource Units in Low Frequency Bands
QUALCOMM INC, 2025
Wireless communication method for extended long range (ELR) wireless packets in low frequency bands to improve data rate and range compared to long range (LR) wireless packets in lower frequency bands. ELR packets use duplication and resource allocation schemes to mitigate issues like lower data rate and coverage range. ELR packets have duplicated data sections to increase reliability over long ranges. They also use distributed resource units (DRUs) with more tones to increase power and flexibility. This allows extending range while maintaining similar data rate or increasing range with lower data rate compared to LR packets.
8. LoRa Communication System with Chirp-Based Independent Time and Frequency Measurement for Ranging and Doppler Estimation
SEMTECH CORP, 2025
LoRa receiver and transmitter for long range radio communications that allows accurate ranging and angle of arrival estimation without precise alignment of frequency references. The LoRa signals have chirps with different slopes to allow independent time and frequency measurement. This allows accurate ranging without precise frequency synchronization. The receiver can also estimate Doppler shift and compensate for frequency errors. By using chirps with diverse slopes, it enables independent time and frequency measurement to resolve ranging ambiguities. This allows accurate ranging without precise frequency synchronization. It also allows Doppler shift estimation and compensation for frequency errors.
9. Mesh Network System with Dynamic Network Selection and Packet Division Mechanism
SOMEWEAR LABS INC, 2025
A mesh network system for transmitting data over multiple networks that intelligently selects the best network based on conditions and divides packets to optimize delivery. The system uses a mesh network of interconnected devices that can switch between cellular, satellite, and other networks. It dynamically chooses the network based on factors like signal strength, latency, cost, and noise. The system also transforms large files into smaller versions for transmission over weaker networks. This allows efficient data transfer over mixed networks with varying quality.
10. UAV Communication via PC5 Interface Utilizing Dedicated Resource Pools for Message Transmission and Reception
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD, 2025
Method for uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) to transmit and receive messages using PC5 interface in wireless communication systems like 5G. The method involves using dedicated UAV resource pools for UAV-specific messages like remote ID and collision avoidance, instead of general sidelink resources. The UAV selects the appropriate pool based on configuration and message type. This provides secure and efficient UAV communications using dedicated resources rather than shared resources.
11. UAV Remote Identification Transmission via Location-Based Dedicated Resource Pools in Wireless Networks
LENOVO LTD, 2025
Method for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to transmit their remote identification (ID) in a wireless network like 3GPP. The network configures dedicated resource pools for UAVs to use for broadcasting their ID. The UAV selects the dedicated pool based on its current location and time in flight. This allows efficient use of resources compared to using a shared pool. The network can also indicate during handovers if the dedicated pool can be reused in the new cell.
12. Random Access Channel Preamble Configuration with Multiple Code Sequences and Variable Length for High Delay Networks
PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA, 2025
Flexible configuration of the preamble sequence used in random access channels to improve reliability in networks with large propagation delays like non-terrestrial networks. The preamble sequence can be composed of multiple code sequences instead of a single sequence. This allows adjusting the sequence length and number of sequences per cell to mitigate collision probabilities in high delay networks where using a fixed sequence may result in too many collisions. The sequences can be configured based on a sequence number and hopping pattern.
13. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) Networking Algorithms: Communication, Control, and AI-Based Approaches
trinh luong mien, dung the nguyen, le quy van dinh - Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 2025
This paper focuses on algorithms and technologies for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) networking across different fields of applications. Given the limitations UAVs in both computations communications, usually need either low latency or energy efficiency. In addition, coverage problems should be considered to improve UAV deployment many monitoring sensing Hence, this work firstly addresses common applications groups swarms. Communication routing protocols are then reviewed, as they can make capable supporting these Furthermore, control examined ensure operate optimal positions specific purposes. AI-based approaches enhance performance. We provide latest evaluations existing results that suggest suitable solutions practical a comprehensive survey general associated with fields.
14. Drone Swarm Communication System with Hierarchical Clustering and Master-Slave Configuration
ICTK CO LTD, 2025
Optimizing communication in swarms of drones to enable efficient and reliable control of large numbers of drones. The optimization involves clustering the drones into groups with a master drone that communicates with a central server, and slave drones that relay messages from the master. This reduces the number of required communication channels compared to each drone directly connecting. Clustering also allows faster area coverage, obstacle avoidance, and resource sharing. If a master fails, another slave can be promoted. This enables robust swarm operation by minimizing communication breakdowns.
15. Underwater Robotic Fish Swarm with Acoustic and Optical Communication for Data Collection and Transmission
KHALIFA UNIVERSITY, TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION INSTITUTE - SOLE PROPRIETORSHIP LLC, 2025
Underwater robotic fish swarm for remote monitoring and virtual reality exploration of underwater environments. A floating platform communicates instructions from an operator to a submersible sinker and swarm of underwater drones to navigate and collect data in an underwater area. The collected data is transmitted back to the platform for display on a virtual reality headset worn by the operator. The swarm uses acoustic and optical communication, localization algorithms, and image compression to enable efficient underwater exploration and data transfer.
16. Dual-Link Communication System with Segregated Bandwidth and Latency for Preprogrammed Command Execution
SKYWAVE NETWORKS LLC, 2025
A technique to reduce latency in executing time-sensitive actions over long distances by using separate high bandwidth, high latency and low bandwidth, low latency communication links. Large preprogrammed commands are transmitted over the high latency link, and small trigger signals over the low latency link. This allows faster execution of complex actions by using the lower latency link for the trigger rather than transmitting the entire command again. It's useful for remote locations where high latency links are available but low latency links are not.
17. Adaptive Transport Block Sizing and HARQ Process Management for Long-Delay Wireless Networks
QUECTEL WIRELESS SOLUTIONS CO LTD, 2025
Reducing retransmission overheads in wireless communications systems with long propagation delays like non-terrestrial networks. The method involves adaptively adjusting the size of transport blocks based on channel quality and delay to reduce retransmissions. It also enables/disables HARQ processes selectively based on channel conditions. This reduces HARQ signaling and power consumption for long-delay networks.
18. Adaptive RLC Sublayer with Mode-Switching Capability for Layer 2 Functionality in Wireless Communications
SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP, 2025
Adaptive radio link control (RLC) sublayer for wireless communications that splits the layer 2 functionality of the OSI model into a MAC sublayer and a new RLC sublayer with an adaptive acknowledgement mode. The RLC sublayer can switch between unacknowledged and acknowledged modes based on link quality. In the unacknowledged mode, it provides fragmentation, headers, and no guarantees. In the acknowledged mode, it provides error correction, reassembly, reordering, duplication detection, and quality of service. This allows scaling reliability to high latency satellite links where buffering and retries are impractical.
19. Aerial Network Architecture with Hybrid FSO and RF Communication Links Featuring Simultaneous Transmission and Failover Mechanisms
ARCHITECTURE TECHNOLOGY CORP, 2025
Aerial network architecture using hybrid communication links like FSO and RF that allows simultaneous transmission and failover protection. The network nodes like drones have overlay networks with FSO transmitters/receivers and RF transmitters/receivers. A processor modulates data for both links and balances traffic preemptively based on mission planning and link conditions. This reduces congestion and packet loss during link failures. The processor also uses packet erasure coding to recover from spurious FSO link loss without needing error prediction. The hybrid links and techniques provide resilient and efficient networking for aerial platforms.
20. Communication Device with Frequency Hopping for Extended Phase Difference Ranging
SONY SEMICONDUCTOR SOLUTIONS CORP, 2025
A communication device and method that allows more devices to accurately estimate their positions using phase difference ranging without requiring bidirectional communication with fixed nodes. The device uses a frequency hopping technique with multiple hops between nodes to extend the range of phase difference measurements. This allows devices to estimate their positions by measuring phase differences at multiple frequencies without needing to communicate bidirectionally with fixed nodes. By hopping frequencies between nodes, the device can extend the range of phase difference measurements beyond the distance limit of a single hop. This enables multiple devices to estimate their positions using phase difference ranging without requiring each device to communicate bidirectionally with multiple fixed nodes.
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