Ergodic Capacity Analysis of UAV-Based FSO Links Over Foggy Channels

Abstract

In this letter, we investigate the ergodic capacity of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based free space optics (FSO) links over random foggy channel. More specifically, we derive composite probability density function (PDF) and close approximation for the moments of the composite PDF using the statistical model of a UAV-based 3D pointing error and a random foggy channel. With it, we obtain upper bound and asymptotic approximation of the ergodic capacity for the two possible detection techniques of intensity modulation/direct detection (IM/DD) and heterodyne detection at high and low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) regimes. The numerical results confirm all the presented analytic results via computer-based Monte-Carlo simulations.