Abstract
The recent advancements in wireless technology has identified the Wireless Airborne Network (AN) as a rapid and lucrative solution in providing network facilities in deprived and challenging areas. Two key requirements of an AN are maintaining network connectivity and ensuring network coverage. However, the network architecture of the AN can be intricate, thus, it is challenging to maintain the connectivity and ensure the coverage. In this research, I have derived the critical node density of connectivity and coverage of the ANs using the percolation theory considering both homogenous and heterogenous wireless nodes. I have also derived the critical lower bound and critical upper bound of the node density of connectivity. At first, the theoretical findings have been verified with the extensive simulation considering static nodes. Next, the theoretical findings have been verified with the simulation considering mobile nodes. In order to do so, we developed a comprehensive mobility model for ANs, where the mobility of the airborne node is presented as a Gauss-Markov process comprising of three key parameters - the speed, angular velocity, and pitch angle. The proposed model addresses the node mobility more realistically and thus, capable of generating apparently all possible types of trajectories. Finally, by analyzing the simulation results and real-world data, it has been affirmed that the proposed model can be used to model and analyze a wide range of practical airborne networks including both homogeneous and heterogeneous nodes.