Design and development of RIS-aided UAV networks

Abstract

Reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS)-assisted uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) communication systems have recently emerged as a promising solution for improving wireless coverage, beamforming flexibility, and communication reliability in beyond-5G and upcoming 6G wireless networks. By combining programmable electromagnetic wave manipulation with UAV mobility, UAV-mounted RIS platforms can establish adaptive virtual line-of-sight communication links in challenging propagation environments such as obstructed urban regions, disaster-affected areas, and infrastructure-limited scenarios. The integration of RIS with UAV platforms combines adaptive beamforming capability with aerial mobility, enabling improved wireless coverage and virtual line-of-sight communication links in challenging propagation scenarios. Despite the advantages offered by UAV-assisted RIS systems, practical deployment conditions significantly affect communication reliability and overall system performance. Most existing studies primarily focus on idealized RIS-assisted communication models assuming perfect operating conditions, while the limited works considering practical impairments often analyze them independently. Furthermore, analytical modeling, practical implementation, and experimental characterization of RIS structures are generally investigated separately in existing literature, with relatively little emphasis on developing a unified framework combining both theoretical analysis and practical validation.