Relay-Based Multiuser Cooperative UAV Networks over Rician Channels

In this study, we investigate how unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) may serve as relays in cooperative communication using the Decode and Forward (DF) protocol. We apply the Rician channel assumption and study the Symbol Error Rate (SER) to account for the potential of obstacles blocking the line-of-sight (LoS) link throughout nodes and UAVs, as well as to observe fluctuations in the LoS signal induced by the fading effect (SER). A channel model between each pair of neighbors inside the UAV network must be designed to improve the performance of each network. The network coding (NC) technique provides greater spectral efficiency and full diversity when employed in multiuser cooperative communication systems. However, the addition of error control codes can improve the efficiency of a scheme in relay-based multiuser cooperative network-based UAVs. These factors motivate the use of NC in wireless cooperative UAV networks in a Rician fading scenario. We analyzed this concept in detail in this work, utilizing several UAV relaying strategies such as DF (decode and forward). According to simulation results, coding for a Rician fading scenario significantly improves overall delay performance in the cooperative UAV communications environment.