11/15/2025
- As UAVs (Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles) continue to find new roles in logistics, inspection, and surveillance, one of the most transformative opportunities lies in aerial communications, and specifically, deploying drones as flying 5G base stations.
At the IARIA AIVTS25 conference, Alphacore presented a study on the feasibility of UAV-mounted 5G networks, focusing on the challenges and opportunities in providing radio coverage using commercial 5G equipment. The work investigates how drone altitude, 5G frequency bands, and propagation characteristics interact in rural and open environments to affect coverage and signal quality. The research paper and the conference presentation is available.
Unlike terrestrial networks designed for street-level deployment, aerial 5G infrastructure introduces a 3D network topology with entirely new planning dynamics. The study sheds light on key link budget considerations and provides a foundation for future development of drone-based, deployable private 5G networks that are useful for emergency response, disconnected operations, and localized, temporary communications.
This research ties into Alphacore’s broader expertise in advanced RF, sensing, and semiconductor technologies, and the company is actively exploring how its components and design capabilities can contribute to next-generation airborne networks.
We’re also proud to share that this presentation received the Best Paper Award at the event, highlighting both the novelty and technical merit of the work.
For further information about Alphacore’s research and development areas, and questions on possible collaboration, contact Alphacore.