Unified outage performance analysis of antenna selection techniques in UAV-assisted networks

In this thesis, we thoroughly examine the performance and efficacy of diverse Antenna Selection (AS) strategies within a relay communication system facilitated by Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). In this setup, UAVs serve as airborne relays, establishing and sustaining communication links between source and destination nodes. Our investigation encompasses a range of AS techniques, including transmit antenna selection/maximal ratio combining (TAS/MRC), joint transmit and receive antenna selection (JTRAS), and maximum ratio transmission/receive antenna selection (MRT/RAS). To comprehensively evaluate their performance in UAV relay networks, we conduct a unified analysis of outage probability (OP). Initially, we derive a closed-form expression for OP, specifically tailored for Nakagami-m fading channels. Additionally, we present an asymptotic expression to unveil the array and diversity gains, providing deeper insights into system performance. To corroborate our theoretical findings, we employ Monte Carlo simulations, ensuring the validation and reliability of our results. Key Words: Antenna selection (AS), joint transmit and receive antenna selection (JTRAS), maximum ratio transmission/receive antenna selection (MRT/RAS), transmit antenna selection/maximal ratio combining (TAS/MRC), signal to noise ratio (SNR), outage probability (OP), unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).