An Application of Uplink RSMA Technique for Communication of Patrol UAVs

Rate-splitting multiple access (RSMA) is gaining significant research attention due to its flexibility in optimizing system capacity and meeting specific application goals. This paper proposes a solution for applying RSMA to transmit data from cameras mounted on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) during patrol missions. Our approach yields deterministic results in the simplest case and can be easily extended to more complex scenarios. Our solution aligns more closely with the intended objectives than the non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) method. More specifically, the simulation results show that the proposed technique can achieve high values of achievable rate while still maintaining the power fairness in comparison with conventional techniques. Moreover, our solution has the ability to enhance massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems, particularly when multiple user equipments (UEs) share the same spatial angle relative to the base station. In this context, the power domain UE separation technique can effectively complement the spatial angle domain UE separation technique.