Air-to-Ground Channel Measurement and Modeling for Low-altitude UAVs: A Survey

Abstract: As important infrastructure for airborne communication platforms, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are expected to become a key part of 6G wireless networks. Thus, modeling low- and medium-altitude propagation channels has attracted much attention. Air-to-ground (A2G) propagation channel models vary in different scenarios, requiring accurate models for designing and evaluating UAV communication links. Unlike terrestrial models, A2G channel models lack detailed investigation. Therefore, this paper provides an overview of existing A2G channel measurement campaigns, different types of A2G channel models for various environments, and future research directions for UAV air-land channel modeling. This study focuses on the potential of millimeter-wave technology for UAV A2G channel modeling and highlights non-suburban scenarios requiring consideration in future modeling efforts.

Keywords: unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV); air-to-ground (A2G); channel measurement; channel modeling; small-scale and large-scale fading