Outage Probability of 3-D Mobile UAV Relaying for Hybrid Satellite-Terrestrial Networks

This letter investigates a hybrid satellite-terrestrial network where multiple decode-and-forward (DF) three-dimensional (3-D) mobile unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) relays assist a satellite to communicate with a ground user equipment (UE). We apply a stochastic mixed mobility model to randomly position the UAV relays in a 3-D cylindrical region around the UE. Based on a novel analytical framework for 3-D mobile UAV relaying, we evaluate the outage probability of considered system under opportunistic UAV relay selection. We compare the performance of 3-D mobile UAV relays with the static relays placed at maximum flying distance of UAVs. Simulations confirm the analytical results.