Aerial 5G Connectivity: Feasibility for IoT and eMBB via UAVs

Dr. Jyrki T. J. Penttinen's paper explores the feasibility of using UAVs for 5G connectivity in IoT and eMBB applications, addressing gaps in current research on UAV-assisted networking. The study proposes a Non-Public Network architecture for aerial use, evaluating a standalone model ideal for quick deployments. The design features a minimal viable 5G SNPN hosted on a single UAV, supporting extensions to multi-UAV swarms for mesh RAN. Performance analysis using ITU-R propagation models shows trade-offs in frequency selection for coverage and capacity in aerial eMBB, while IoT scenarios demonstrate better coverage with narrowband and low SNR tolerances. The study concludes that COTS-based UAV-5G systems are cost-effective and viable, with potential applications in disaster response and remote IoT monitoring as 5G adoption grows.