Networked flying platforms (NFPs) are unmanned flying platforms of various types including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), drones, tethered balloon and high-altitude/medium-altitude/low-altitude platforms (HAPs/MAPs/LAPs) carrying RF/mmWave/FSO payload (transceivers) along with an extended battery life capabilities, and are floating or moving[1] in the air at a quasi-stationary positions with the ability to move horizontally and vertically to offer 5G and beyond 5G (B5G) cellular networks and network support services.
There are following two possible NFPs deployment configurations: NFPs can be manually (non-autonomously) controlled but mainly designed for autonomous pre-determined flights.
[8] NFPs can either operate in a single NFP mode where NFPs do not cooperate with other NFPs in the network, if exists or a swarm of NFPs where multiple interconnected NFPs cooperate, collaborate and perform the network mission autonomously with one of the NFPs designated as mother-NFP[2]