Participation of Graduate and Undergraduate Students
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have been applied to various fields of engineering in recent decades. As we enter a new era of communication with the development of 5G networks, UAVs for wireless communication have drawn growing attention. Because of the limitation of terrestrial cell towers in connectivity and capacity, engineers are working hard to find methods to support them with aerial base stations carried by UAVs. Compared to the conventional terrestrial communication system, UAVs have more flexibility and efficiency. They can be easily applied to multiple scenarios that need a temporary boost of cellular connections, such as a concert, a sports event, or an earthquake. However, because of their flying nature, engineers also face many challenges in stabilizing cellular signal propagation channels. In the DroTerNet project collaborated between Virginia Tech, USC, and Cal State LA, many fellow students had their different experiences contributing as electrical and mechanical engineers. Some of them are discussed below.
Colton Bullard, an undergraduate student studying aerospace engineering at USC has been working with the flight and payload of the drone in the project. He shared that:
“As an aerospace engineering undergraduate student, I have experience working with basic flight mechanics and structural analysis. Using this experience, I have constructed a mechanism that secures the payload of electronic devices to hang below the drone in flight. This structure is entirely 3D printed and interchangeable should any parts break or become deformed. In addition to the payload structure, I have been working with different automated flying technologies that fully fly the drone-based on programmed paths and actions. My future goals are to continue modifying the structure so that it can fit more devices and possibly integrate a power supply from the drone batteries to the devices onboard. Once restrictions are eased, I also hope to fly the drone and complete assorted flight missions that will allow the team to conduct experiments and attain data. From all of this, I hope to improve my Computer Animated Design skills and apply what I have learned in the classroom to a physical product that is safe and functional. Finally, I am trying to learn more about electrical engineering and radio frequencies so that I can become a more well-rounded engineer.”
Ruiyi Shen, another undergraduate student studying electrical engineering at USC, on the other hand, has been working with the electronic systems of the drone, specifically measuring the movement trace and vibration data for the use in channel sounding. He also had some insights about taking part in this project:
“As an undergraduate student studying electrical engineering, I have had the opportunity to learn the characteristics of multiple Inertial Measurement Units in the industry and got to talk with a number of people with professional knowledge. During the process of completing my task, I learned a lot in wiring electronic devices and how concepts of current, voltage, power, and ground apply to a realistic situation. Because the devices such as IMU and GPS clocks also require custom programming, I learned a lot of knowledge regarding the serial communication between devices and how different communication protocols vary from each other.
In the future, as I move forward with the project, I would like to learn more about RF antenna characteristics and how my previous work on the measurement of vibration of the drone can be applied to the channel sounder. Because the drone project is a multi-disciplinary project that covers not only electrical but mechanical engineering, I am also excited to explore how different aspects of engineering related to each other on this single project. Finally, my ultimate goal is to gain hands-on experience on the project to familiarize myself with the work of an engineer, as well as develop an engineering problem-solving strategy that helps me toward my future study and career in electrical engineering.”
From our partner school, Cal State LA, Aldo Adame’s job was focused on the configuration of the transmitter system of the drone channel sounder using a USRP. He shared that:
“During my master’s degree, I acquired knowledge in different topics like electronics, digital signal processing, and programming. This project gave me the opportunity to combine all of the knowledge acquired during my graduate studies and put it into practice for this application.
Additionally, a new set of skills were required for me to perform this task, such as: Linux, C and Python programming, Knowledge of Wireless Communications, Channel Sounding, RF systems design, UHD, and digital signal processing.
At the end of my participation in the project, I had the opportunity to put into practice the knowledge gathered in my graduate classes, and it also introduced me to the world of wireless communications that is a multidisciplinary area of knowledge. With this knowledge, I would like to continue my preparation in electrical engineering during my future career and job.”
Alexander Alvarado, another master’s student from Cal State LA. He worked on designing and simulating the antenna array for the drone. He also valued his experiences a lot in this project:
“As a master’s degree student I had the opportunity to learn several skills related to my career, but this project challenged me to focus on a very important topic for Telecommunications design. From this project, I had the opportunity to antenna design, the main constraints on the design, simulation, and fabrication. It allowed me to learn hands-on the pros and cons of antenna design and how to fulfill the characteristics we require in this project. Additionally, as part of the Antenna design, I had to remember my electromagnetic basics, this was key to understanding the antenna patterns and troubleshooting after every simulation.
To summarize, my experience on this project was rewarding not only because I worked on a research project that allowed me to challenge myself in different ways. But also, because it taught me to be more efficient in my learning habits, to be more organized, and to question myself in regards to the knowledge I already had.
I truly believe that my experience in this project will help me in the field of Telecommunications and my current job.”
There are also some alumni from the lab that would like to share their experiences with working on the drone project as electrical engineers. Peng Luo, a former USC master student, focused on the calibration of Massive MIMO antenna array during his time in the lab:
“In our case of the project, we have to use a rotor to move in azimuth and elevation the array. For these tasks, I was required to learn coding techniques in C, Labview, and Matlab. And for the post-processing analysis, RF system’s design, Digital Signal Processing, and Statistics were required.
Indeed, the measurement procedure itself does not cover the calibration procedure, but also a post-processing part that requires knowledge previously described.
As a summary of my tasks and skills learned during this project, I can say that it was a wonderful experience, because it allowed me to put into practice what I learned so far, additionally it pushed me to learn new skills that are required for the project. This is very important not only for this project but for the rest of my life because in any job you are required to learn new stuff every day. I am sure that the skills I learned during this project will be very useful in my work life.”
Akshay Ramseh, another USC alumni, who worked on the system design of the channel sounder for this project, thinks that the skills he learned during the project are essential for his career as an electrical engineer:
“My contribution to this project was in the system’s design of the channel sounder.
For these tasks, I had to learn the basics of Digital Signal Processing, Communication Systems, and RF systems design. With this knowledge, I was able to design the RF chain of equipment for the receiver, taking into account the characteristics of each element, such as noise figure, gain, attenuation, maximum power, etc.. One of the most important skills I learned was the construction of link budgets, essential for any communication system design. This tool allowed us to determine the maximum range in which the system can perform properly.
Also, I participated in the measurement campaign for a test measurement for a static scenario in an outdoor environment. During the experiments, I understood the different parameters required for a good measurement campaign using a time-domain channel sounder.
As a personal experience, working on this project allowed me to learn more about Electrical Engineering and more about Wireless Communications. I know for sure that the skills I learned during this project are essential for my future career.”
Here is a video presentation with some of our former and current research students: Link.