This chapter introduces UAV technology and an in-depth discussion on the wireless communication and networking challenges associated with the introduction of UAVs.This includes providing detailed discussions on UAV classification, UAV regulations, as well as the various UAV use cases in wireless communications (e.g., UAVs as base stations, UAVs as user equipment, and UAVs as relays).

In this chapter, we focus on how wireless communication resources (spectral, temporal, and power) can be optimized and managed in wireless networks that support UAVsWestart by analyzing a very unique problem related to wireless networks supported by hovering UAV base stations: Cell association in hover time constraints. We show how the presence of hover time constraints for the UAVs will drastically change the way in which cell association is performed. Then, we generalize the problem of cell association to a fully fledged 3D cellular system that integrates both UAV base stations and UAV user equipment. Subsequently, we investigate the problem of spectrum and cache management in a wireless network supported by UAV base stations that are able to access both licensed and unlicensed spectrum resources.

This chapter focuses on aerial channelpropagation modeling and waveform design for wireless networks with UAVs. We begin by introducing the fundamentals of radio wave propagation and modeling, and, then, we provide an overview of the salient characteristics of aerial wireless channels for UAVs, with a focus on how they differ from the more familiar and well-studied terrestrial wireless channels. Next we characterize large-scale propagation channel effects, including path loss, shadowing, LOS probability, and atmospheric and weather effects, and we discuss the use of ray tracing for UAV channel modelling. We also discuss various small-scale propagation effects. We then turn our attention to waveform design, by reviewing the needed background and providing a small set of exemplary waveforms that showcase the main waveform design considerations for UAV wireless communications and networking.

This chapter studies the problem of UAV deployment for wireless communication purposes. In particular, we focus on the deployment of UAV base stations whose locations will strongly impact the performance that they can deliver. To this end, we start by providing a broad overview on the analytical tools that can be used to develop optimized deployment strategies for wireless networks with UAVs. Then, we investigate how UAV base stations can be deployed for optimizing the wireless coverage for a ground network of wireless devices that seek to communicate with UAV BSs in the downlink. We shed important light on how to deploy the UAV base stations, by determining their number and locations, in a way to maximize network performance, under various constraints, such as power. We then investigate the problem of optimally deploying UAV base stations for collecting data, in the uplink, from ground Internet of Things devices in an energy-efficient manner. We conclude our discussions by studying the deployment of UAV base stations that can leverage machine learning techniques to cache popular content and to track the mobility of ground users.

This chapter is to provide a succinct overview on the security challenges of UAV-based networks. To this end, we start by providing a general overview on the various security threats facing UAV systems, ranging from communication channel attacks to information attacks andGlobal Positioning System (GPS) spoofing attacks. Then, we develop, using game theory, a generic framework that can provide cyber-physical security for UAV applications such as delivery systems.We conclude with general remarks on the security of UAV systems.

This chapter provides a broad overview on several key applications and use cases of UAVs in various wireless networking scenarios. For the role of a UAV base station, we focus on the use of UAVs in a variety of applications, includingpublic safety, the Internet of Things, caching, edge computing, and smart cities. Then, we discuss a handful of important applications for UAV user equipment, and we show how these applications require UAV users to connect to ground cellular networks. While discussing the various applications, we also provide an in-depth exposition of the associated communications and networking challenges in each application.

This chapter provides a practical discussion on the integration of UAVs into real-world cellular systems, ranging from long-term evolution (LTE) to 5G new radio (NR) and beyond. We first review the roles of mobile cellular technologies for UAV applications while highlighting the use of mobile connectivity and the role of mobile cellular technologies in enabling the development of new services for UAVs in key areas such as identification and registration, location-based services, and law enforcement. Then, we discuss LTE-enabled UAVs in more detail, including a tutorial on LTE and the various UAV use cases that include UAV LTE user equipment and UAV LTE base stations. We also touch upon some performance enhancing solutions that can optimize LTE connectivity for providing improved performance for UAVs while protecting the performance of terrestrial mobile devices. We then introduce various 3GPP standardization efforts on cellular-connected UAVs that aim to address the anticipated usage of mobile technologies by UAVs and regulatory requirements. Next, we discuss 5G NR-enabled UAVs while providing a primer on 5G NR essentials, how 5G NR can provide superior UAV connectivity, and the roles of network slicing and network intelligence for identifying, monitoring, and controlling UAVs in the 5G era.

Chapter 8 focuses on rotor blade technology, covering design, materials, manufacture, and testing. The role of fibre-reinforced composites is discussed, examining their superior mechanical and manufacturing properties. Their property of anisotropy enables composites to be tailored to match the direction of principal stresses in the most material-efficient way. Blade structural design is illustrated using bending theory for a cantilever beam, with stress and strain equations developed for a composite structure. The importance of section thickness and cross-sectional geometry is illustrated using the SERI/NREL blade profiles. An overview of blade attachment methods considers adhesive bonded root studs, T-bolts, and fibre-embedded studs that are integrated during the blade-moulding process. Most large blades are nowadays manufactured by vacuum resin infusion moulding (VRIM), and the chapter includes a description of this technique. There is a section on wood-laminate blades, which are still used in some applications, and comments on blade balancing and testing. The chapter concludes with a review of blade weight and technology trends based on some historic commmercial blade designs.