Topology Design for Directional Range Extension Networks with Antenna Blockage

Extending the range of local area surface networks by using small aircraft to relay traffic to geographically distant areas is a frequently considered topic in military network technology development. This paper considers the use of a modular pod design for incorporating highly directional antennas and associated electronics into small aircraft to perform such range extension. In particular, the paper examines trade-offs in network topology design introduced by pod-based antenna blockages. Using certain modeling approximations, the paper presents a quantitative analysis showing design trade-offs among several design parameters, including the number of antenna beams supported by the pod design, the number of surface nodes to be supported by each aircraft, and the topology characteristics of the aerial relay network. The analysis suggests that low-degree air topologies such as rings and strings be used to maximize the connection availability of surface nodes, and to optimize a trade-off between connection availability and the total number of surface nodes that can be connected to the backbone (and hence to each other). The analysis also results in an optimization criterion for the formation and maintenance of low-degree air topologies.