Design considerations of dedicated and aerial 5G networks for enhanced positioning services

Dedicated and aerial fifth generation (5G) networks, here called 5G overlay networks, are envisaged to enhance existing positioning services, when combined with global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) and other sensors. There is a need for accurate and timely positioning in safety-critical automotive and aerial applications, such as advanced warning systems or in urban air mobility (UAM). Today, these high-accuracy demands can partially be satisfied by GNSS, though not in dense urban conditions or under GNSS threats (e.g. interference, jamming or spoofing). Temporary and on-demand 5G network deployments using ground and flying base stations (BSs) are indeed a novel solution to exploit hybrid GNSS, 5G and sensor algorithms for the provision of accurate three-dimensional (3D) position and motion information, especially for challenging urban and suburban scenarios. Thus, this paper first analyzes the positioning technologies available, including signals, positioning methods, algorithms and architectures. Then, design considerations of 5G overlay networks are discussed, by including simulation results on the 5G signal bandwidth, antenna array and network deployment.