[Paper Review] Communications and Networking Standards for UASs: The 3GPP Perspective and Research Drivers.

Aly Sabri Abdalla, Vuk Marojevic|arXiv (Cornell University)|Sep 8, 2020

UAV Applications and Optimization10 references4 citations

TL;DR

This paper presents 3GPP's standardization efforts to enable reliable, long-range, and autonomous UAV operations through cellular network integration. It outlines the architectural framework, communication requirements, and key services for UAVs and remote controllers via UMTS and LTE/5G networks, driven by global R&D initiatives to support future UTM and mission-critical applications.

ABSTRACT

The unmanned aircraft system (UAS) is becoming increasingly popular for a myriad of applications, including commercial, public safety, and mission critical. A UAS consists of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and the UAV controller which use radios to communicate. While the controller is traditionally a human operator who is maintaining line of sight with the UAV it controls, the trend is moving towards long-range control and autonomous operation. To enable this, reliable and omnipresent wireless connectivity is indispensable as it is the only way to control or take control of the UAV flight. This paper surveys the ongoing 3GPP standardization activities for enabling networked UAVs. In particular, we discuss the requirements, envisaged architecture and services to be offered to UAVs and to remote controllers, which will communicate with one another and the UAS Traffic Management (UTM) through cellular networks. Global research and major R\&D platforms are presented as those will drive future standards.

Motivation & Objective

• To address the growing need for reliable, long-range, and autonomous UAV operations beyond visual line of sight.
• To define the communication and networking requirements for UAVs and remote controllers using cellular infrastructure.
• To enable seamless integration of UAVs into UAS Traffic Management (UTM) systems through standardized cellular connectivity.
• To identify key research and development drivers shaping future 3GPP standards for UAS communications.
• To propose an architectural framework supporting scalable, secure, and low-latency UAV communication over 3GPP networks.

Proposed method

• Surveying ongoing 3GPP standardization activities focused on UAV-specific radio and core network enhancements.
• Defining a network architecture that supports UAVs and remote controllers via existing UMTS and LTE/5G radio access and core networks.
• Integrating UAVs into UTM systems through standardized interfaces and signaling protocols over cellular backhaul.
• Analyzing use cases across commercial, public safety, and mission-critical applications to derive technical requirements.
• Evaluating global R&D platforms and research initiatives to identify innovation drivers for future 3GPP standards.
• Mapping UAV mobility, latency, reliability, and security requirements to 3GPP network capabilities and enhancements.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 How can cellular networks support reliable, long-range, and autonomous UAV operations beyond visual line of sight?
• RQ2 What architectural and protocol enhancements are required to integrate UAVs into UTM systems via 3GPP networks?
• RQ3 What are the key communication requirements for UAVs and remote controllers in mission-critical and commercial applications?
• RQ4 How do global R&D platforms and research initiatives influence the evolution of 3GPP standards for UAS communications?
• RQ5 What role do existing 3GPP radio and core network technologies play in enabling scalable and secure UAV connectivity?

Key findings

• 3GPP is actively standardizing cellular-based communication for UAVs to enable long-range and autonomous flight operations.
• The integration of UAVs into UTM systems is feasible through standardized interfaces over existing 3GPP UMTS and LTE/5G networks.
• Reliable, low-latency, and secure connectivity is achievable via enhancements to 3GPP's existing mobile network architecture.
• Global R&D platforms and research initiatives are critical drivers for shaping future 3GPP standards in UAS communications.
• The proposed architecture supports diverse UAV applications, including public safety and commercial operations, through scalable and interoperable cellular connectivity.
• Standardization efforts are focused on ensuring seamless mobility, quality of service, and security for UAVs operating in shared spectrum environments.