Unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) need to be connected exploiting a communication infrastructure based on robust, low latency, energy efficient transmission technology. Drones can also be deployed to assist terrestrial communication networks (cellular radio networks) acting as flying base stations or gateways to increase coverage and/or capacity. Radio communications play a key role in both scenarios, i.e., in communication networks for drones, and in drones for communication networks.
If you are working in this domain, you may consider submitting a paper to the Special Issue on Aerial Wireless Networks – IEEE Open Journal of the Communications Society.
This special issue (with deadline 1st September 2020) seeks contributions of fundamental nature that assess the challenge of optimal design of the physical and media access control layers, the characterization of the communication media, the study of channel capacity and energy efficiency, the development of routing and self-organization mechanisms in both drone-assisted networks and in networks for drones. In addition, contributions related to novel radio localization techniques in support of drone navigation, as well as drone-assisted radio positioning solutions, are encouraged.