Radio propagation models for UAVs: What is missing?

Abstract

In this work, we discuss the two-ray radio propagation model when an UAV acts as a mobile node belonging to a ground wireless sensor network. Currently, UAVs are attracting attention in the market and in the research field, thus more accurate radio propagation models are needed to properly estimate the effectiveness and the feasibility of the use of UAVs in several contexts. The main contribution of this work is in highlighting how the classical two-ray path loss model must be tuned because of aerial mobility.