An Indoor Experimental Testbed for 5G-Based UAV Control and Communication

The integration of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) into next-generation mobile networks is widely recognized as a key enabler of disruptive applications, where aerial platforms may function either as network nodes or as advanced network users supporting a variety of services. Unfortunately, experimental testbeds in which UAVs perform tasks while communicating with ground infrastructure over Fifth-Generation (5G) networks remain scarce, primarily due to the challenges posed by legal restrictions on Beyond Line-of-Sight (BLoS) and autonomous operations. Motivated by this need, this work presents the design, implementation, and evaluation of a novel indoor experimental testbed for assessing the performance of UAV-based systems operating over 5G networks. The testbed features an autonomously controlled quadcopter equipped with a 5G modem, connected to a private 5G network implemented using Software-Defined Radio (SDR) technology and the OpenAirInterface (OAI) framework. To ensure a controlled environment, a motion capture system is used to provide absolute indoor positioning data, emulating Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) coordinates without relying on external satellites. A preliminary experimental campaign is conducted to evaluate the proposed system in terms of 5G network performance, radio link characteristics, and UAV platform energy consumption.