Channel Measurements and Characterization Analysis for Maritime Uav Communications

As an indispensable component of the space-air-ground-sea integrated network, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)enabled maritime communication systems remain underexplored, with critical propagation challenges persisting in dynamic oceanic environments. The maritime UAV communication is generally influenced by the fluctuation of sea waves, three-dimensional (3D) scattering propagation, and high-mobility flight. To accurately describe these unique characteristics, relevant maritime channel measurements and characteristic analyses are crucial. In this paper, the channel measurement campaigns are conducted for the UAV-to-shore communication scenario in maritime environments. Different measurement schemes are implemented under different flight routes and flight heights. Based on the measured data, key channel characteristics, such as power delay profile (PDP), root mean square delay spread (RMS DS), Rician K-factor, and path loss (PL) are analyzed to investigate the maritime UAV channel. In addition, the PL exhibits a distinct comb-shaped fading characteristic. Fitting results reveal that among multiple communication models, the Fresnel model yields the minimum root mean square error (RMSE), thereby demonstrating superior fitting accuracy. This research provides theoretical and practical support for the future development of maritime UAV communication systems.