Work

UAV-Enabled Video Streaming Architecture for Urban Air Mobility: A 6G-Based Approach Toward Low-Altitude 3D Transportation

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: As urban populations expand and congestion intensifies, traditional ground transportation struggles to satisfy escalating mobility demands. Unmanned Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft, as a key enabler of Urban Air Mobility (UAM), leverage low-altitude airspace to alleviate ground traffic while offering environmentally sustainable solutions. However, supporting high bandwidth, real-time video applications, such as Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and 360° streaming, remains a major challenge, particularly within bandwidth-constrained metropolitan regions. This study proposes a novel Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-enabled video streaming architecture that integrates 6G wireless technologies with intelligent routing strategies across cooperative airborne nodes, including unmanned eVTOLs and High-Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS). By relaying video data from low-congestion ground base stations to high-demand urban zones via autonomous aerial relays, the proposed system enhances spectrum utilization and improves streaming stability. Simulation results validate the framework’s capability to support immersive media applications in next-generation autonomous air mobility systems, aligning with the vision of scalable, resilient 3D transportation infrastructure.

Source: Drones

DOI: 10.3390/drones9060448

Authors: Liang-Chun Chen, Chenn-Jung Huang, Yu-Sen Cheng, Ken-Wen Hu, Mei-En Jian

Institutions: National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Science, National Dong Hwa University

Language: English

Topic: UAV Applications and Optimization

Subfield: Aerospace Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Industry, innovation and infrastructure, Sustainable cities and communities

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,137