A Non-Stationary Cluster-Based Channel Model for Low-Altitude Unmanned-Aerial-Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communications

Abstract

Under the framework of sixth-generation (6G) wireless communications, the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) plays an irreplaceable role in a number of communication systems. In this paper, a novel cluster-based low-altitude UAV-to-vehicle (U2V) non-stationary channel model with uniform planar antenna arrays (UPAs) is proposed. In order to comprehensively model the scattering environment, both single and twin clusters are taken into account. A novel continuous cluster evolution algorithm that integrates time evolution and array evolution is developed to capture channel non-stationarity. In the proposed algorithm, the link between the time evolution of twin clusters and that of single clusters is established to regulate the temporal evolution trend. Moreover, an improved observable radius method is applied to UPAs for the first time to describe array evolution. Based on the combination of cluster evolution and time-variant channel parameters, some vital statistical properties are derived and analyzed, including space–time correlation function (ST-CF), angular power spectrum density (PSD), Doppler PSD, Doppler spread (DS), frequency correlation function (FCF), and delay spread (RS). The non-stationarity in the time, space, and frequency domain is captured. It demonstrates that the airspeed, density of scatterers within clusters, and carrier frequency have an impact on statistical properties. Furthermore, twin clusters have more flexible spatial characteristics with lower power than single clusters. These conclusions can provide assistance and reference for the design and deployment of 6G UAV communication systems.