Troposcatter Communication Link Model Based on Ray-Tracing

Abstract

Background. At present, the demand in tropospheric over-the-horizon communication systems determines the inherent advantages of these systems over satellite and radio-relay systems of direct visibility, especially in combat and emergency situations. Although the fundamentals of the theory of tropospheric scattering were developed as early as the middle of the last century, the development of over-the-horizon systems requires constant refinements of known theoretical positions in accordance with new data on the nature of tropospheric scattering, atmospheric inhomogeneities, capabilities of new methods for calculating and estimating radio propagation. Objective. The aim of the work is to develop a radio link model of a trans-horizon tropospheric communication to study the possibility of controlling (improving) attenuation on such a route by changing the electrophysical characteristics of the environment, in particular atmospheric turbulence, or using artificial formations in the atmosphere. Methods. The created model is based on the Ray-tracing method. Results. A model of radio link losses in the over-horizon tropospheric communication (long-range tropospheric propagation) was developed, based on the ray-tracing technique in two versions: simplified, with homogeneous layers, and full, with a combination of blocks of structures of scattering spheres in each of the layers. A study of the possibility of improving attenuation along the tropospheric scattering pathway by regulating changes in the electrophysical parameters of inhomogeneities and artificial formations in the atmosphere was conducted. Conclusions. The convergence of the results of the simulation with the data obtained by known / traditional analytical models for calculating the losses on the tropospheric scattering path confirms the adequacy of the proposed model to the statistical data of the real losses in tropospheric scattering. The obtained results indicate that, for practical purposes, the accuracy of calculations of the loss characteristics is sufficient and that they can be used to form a tropospheric dispersion route with significantly reduced loss values by artificially adding a certain liquid or solid substance to the atmospheric heterogeneity.

Testing of the Drone Swarms as a Communication Relay System

“…The results of field testing of the functioning of the swarm of drones confirmed the theoretical basis for the formation of the swarm and possible scenarios of its operation, developed earlier in [21] - [28].…”

“…1 a. The main objective of scenario 1 is to verify the theoretical models presented in [28]. The test system for the first scenario uses one or two drones, to the supports of which reflectors made of metal foil on the mirror surface are attached, having a low weight but a large windage.…”

“…Thus, the implementation of a swarm of drones as a distributed modern communication system remains relevant. In [21] - [28], a theoretical basis for the formation of a swarm and scenarios of its work was presented. In particular, scenarios for centralized and distributed construction of a collective drone swarm management network have been developed, a scheme for the phased implementation of the swarm life cycle for communication services, a scenario for the spatial self-organization of swarm drone nodes, etc.…”

“…1): passive relaying using flat rectangular foil reflectors and active relaying using additional SDR radio units. The first and second scenarios are designed to verify the theoretical positions that were previously developed in [28] and [27], respectively.…”

Formation of a Wireless Communication System Based on a Swarm of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

“…The flexible distributed system of a swarm of drones can be part of a traditional communication system, for example, perform the role of a base station node (in the relay mode) in a mobile cellular communication network, a broadband radio access system [28][29][30][31]. Also, on the basis of the swarm can be formed separate relay channels [32] and unique in its purpose combined relay communication systems [33,34].…”