Performance Analysis for Downlink Connected Integrated Aerial–Ground Networks (AG-Nets)

Ensuring connectivity and reliability in dense wireless networks is critical for the evolution toward 6G and beyond (B6G). A promising approach to meet these demands is the integration of aerial base stations (ABSs) with existing terrestrial infrastructure, enabling more flexible and efficient network planning, particularly in urban and high-traffic scenarios. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of coverage probability and average capacity in integrated aerial–ground networks, based on a maximum signal-to-interference and noise ratio (max-SINR) association policy. Leveraging tools from stochastic geometry, we derive the coverage probability as a function of key system parameters under Nakagami-m fading with arbitrary interference distributions. We also formulate the average capacity under coverage, highlighting the influence of ABS and ground base station (GBS) densities. For the special case of Rayleigh fading and exponentially distributed interference, we obtain explicit and tractable closed-form expressions for coverage and capacity. Our analysis reveals that a change in base station densities introduces significant interference, adversely impacting coverage probability and network capacity. The proposed analytical framework is validated through simulations and provides key insights into how fading characteristics, the SIR threshold, and transmit power affect overall network performance.