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Enhanced In-Flight Connectivity for Urban Air Mobility via LEO Satellite Networks

Karnika Biswas, Hakim Ghazzai, Abdullah Khanfor, Lokman Sboui

TL;DR

The paper addresses uninterrupted in-flight connectivity for Urban Air Mobility by proposing a trajectory-aware, hybrid cellular-LEO link allocation framework. It models a time-slotted eVTOL system with distinct UAM-Cellular and UAM-Satellite channels and formulates a Binary Integer Linear Program to minimize per-slot delay while ensuring a single active link at each time. Key contributions include detailed 3D distance-based channel models with LoS/NLoS considerations, a rigorous ILP formulation for optimal link selection, and a simulation study using a Boston–DC route with a Starlink-like LEO constellation to quantify data-loss reductions as constellation size grows. The results demonstrate that hybrid connectivity can significantly improve continuity, with practical implications for UAM operations and network planning, and point to future work on data-priority schemes and caching. The work provides a principled framework for trajectory- and network-aware connectivity in future urban air mobility systems.

Abstract

Urban Air Mobility (UAM) is the envisioned future of inter-city aerial transportation. This paper presents a novel, in-flight connectivity link allocation method for UAM, which dynamically switches between terrestrial cellular and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite networks based on real-time conditions. Our approach prefers cellular networks for cost efficiency, switching to LEO satellites under poor cellular conditions to ensure continuous UAM connectivity. By integrating real-time metrics like signal strength, network congestion, and flight trajectory into the selection process, our algorithm effectively balances cost, minimum data rate requirements, and continuity of communication. Numerical results validate minimization of data-loss while ensuring an optimal selection from the set of available above-threshold data rates at every time sample. Furthermore, insights derived from our study emphasize the importance of hybrid connectivity solutions in ensuring seamless, uninterrupted communication for future urban aerial vehicles.

Enhanced In-Flight Connectivity for Urban Air Mobility via LEO Satellite Networks

TL;DR

The paper addresses uninterrupted in-flight connectivity for Urban Air Mobility by proposing a trajectory-aware, hybrid cellular-LEO link allocation framework. It models a time-slotted eVTOL system with distinct UAM-Cellular and UAM-Satellite channels and formulates a Binary Integer Linear Program to minimize per-slot delay while ensuring a single active link at each time. Key contributions include detailed 3D distance-based channel models with LoS/NLoS considerations, a rigorous ILP formulation for optimal link selection, and a simulation study using a Boston–DC route with a Starlink-like LEO constellation to quantify data-loss reductions as constellation size grows. The results demonstrate that hybrid connectivity can significantly improve continuity, with practical implications for UAM operations and network planning, and point to future work on data-priority schemes and caching. The work provides a principled framework for trajectory- and network-aware connectivity in future urban air mobility systems.

Abstract

Urban Air Mobility (UAM) is the envisioned future of inter-city aerial transportation. This paper presents a novel, in-flight connectivity link allocation method for UAM, which dynamically switches between terrestrial cellular and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite networks based on real-time conditions. Our approach prefers cellular networks for cost efficiency, switching to LEO satellites under poor cellular conditions to ensure continuous UAM connectivity. By integrating real-time metrics like signal strength, network congestion, and flight trajectory into the selection process, our algorithm effectively balances cost, minimum data rate requirements, and continuity of communication. Numerical results validate minimization of data-loss while ensuring an optimal selection from the set of available above-threshold data rates at every time sample. Furthermore, insights derived from our study emphasize the importance of hybrid connectivity solutions in ensuring seamless, uninterrupted communication for future urban aerial vehicles.
Paper Structure (11 sections, 11 equations, 6 figures, 2 tables)

This paper contains 11 sections, 11 equations, 6 figures, 2 tables.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. System model
  3. Network Architecture
  4. Channel Models
  5. UAM-Cellular Channel Model
  6. UAM-Satellite Channel Model
  7. In-Flight UAM Cellular-LEO Connectivity
  8. Problem Formulation
  9. Optimal Link Allocation
  10. Results and Discussion
  11. Conclusion

Figures (6)

  • Figure 1: UAM connectivity to cellular and satellite networks in a trip.
  • Figure 2: eVTOL trajectory and the spatial distribution of cellular BSs.
  • Figure 3: UAM connectivity datarate under the hybrid cellular-LEO network.
  • Figure 4: Satellite Scenario View - BS 'NEW YORK' observed from a visible satellite (ID 40) and calculation of distance between them while orbiting the Earth.
  • Figure 5: Average data-loss percentage at every time-slot decreases with increase in constellation size.
  • ...and 1 more figures