Cellular Network and its Relevance for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Application in Malaysia

Range of operation is one of the main limitation in the operation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). The ability to exploit currently deployed data-based cellular network for UAV application enables better utilization of UAV for various applications. Understanding the requirements of UAV application allows the identification of challenges to obtain coverage offered by terrestrial-based cellular networks. This paper outlines the challenges and identifies the relevance of cellular based UAV application in the context of Malaysia as well as its potential application. The main challenges highlighted include the design of cellular network which is optimized for terrestrial users. Additionally, in the context of Malaysia, the tropical weather imposes a further challenge to the reception of reliable radio signals. It has been identified that provided that these challenges can be overcome, the cellular based UAV can benefit the agriculture, security and utility sector in Malaysia.