The integration of unmanned aerial platforms into future terrestrial-non-terrestrial networks motivates the experimental evaluation of lightweight and passive solutions for wireless link enhancement. This paper presents an experimental characterization of a UAV-mounted passive metasurface acting as a reflector to improve link quality. The analysis is based on the measurement of the transmission coefficient S21, which is correlated with the UAV position during controlled and dynamic flight conditions. From the measured scattering parameters, the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) is derived and used as a performance metric to assess the metasurface-assisted link. Experimental results reveal the existence of a three-dimensional operational region in which the UAV-mounted metasurface provides enhanced received signal quality. The proposed experimental framework offers practical insights for the deployment and operation of passive aerial platforms in integrated terrestrial-non-terrestrial communication scenarios.
An SNR-Based Experimental Characterization of a UAV-Mounted Metasurface for Integrated Terrestrial and Non Terrestrial Links / Marasco, Ilaria; Boffetti, Enrico; Magno, Giovanni; Piro, Giuseppe; D'Orazio, Antonella; Grieco, Luigi Alfredo; Boggia, Gennaro. - (2026).
An SNR-Based Experimental Characterization of a UAV-Mounted Metasurface for Integrated Terrestrial and Non Terrestrial Links
Ilaria Marasco;Enrico Boffetti;Giovanni Magno;Giuseppe Piro;Antonella D'Orazio;Luigi Alfredo Grieco;Gennaro Boggia
2026
Abstract
The integration of unmanned aerial platforms into future terrestrial-non-terrestrial networks motivates the experimental evaluation of lightweight and passive solutions for wireless link enhancement. This paper presents an experimental characterization of a UAV-mounted passive metasurface acting as a reflector to improve link quality. The analysis is based on the measurement of the transmission coefficient S21, which is correlated with the UAV position during controlled and dynamic flight conditions. From the measured scattering parameters, the Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) is derived and used as a performance metric to assess the metasurface-assisted link. Experimental results reveal the existence of a three-dimensional operational region in which the UAV-mounted metasurface provides enhanced received signal quality. The proposed experimental framework offers practical insights for the deployment and operation of passive aerial platforms in integrated terrestrial-non-terrestrial communication scenarios.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
