Evaluation of 3D Terrestrial and Aerial Spectrum Sharing with Massive MIMO Systems

Abstract

Connecting aerial and terrestrial users with a single base station (BS) is increasingly challenging due to the rising number of aerial users like unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Traditional BSs, designed with down-tilted beams, focus mainly on ground users, but massive MIMO (mMIMO) systems can significantly enhance coverage in low-altitude airspace. This paper analyzes how a mMIMO BS serves both aerial and terrestrial users in a 3D spectrum-sharing scheme. Using Semi-orthogonal User Selection (SUS) and random scheduling, we assess the spectral efficiency and performance limits of these systems. Results reveal that mMIMO effectively supports more terrestrial users, influenced by channel characteristics and user scheduling strategies, providing key insights for future 3D aerial-terrestrial networks.