TOWARDS HIGH RESOLUTION LIDAR DATA OVER 5G

The fifth-generation (5G) technology provides high speed capability, low latency and many other features to send data as fast as possible data among devices. This new communication generation can be applied on different topics, like the LiDAR application. LiDAR technology plays a pivotal role in creating detailed maps of various environments, finding applications across autonomous vehicles and industrial automation. However, the complex processing of raw LiDAR data poses challenges, especially when executed on the device itself, potentially affecting battery life or causing overheating. To tackle this, transmitting raw LiDAR data to the cloud, enabled by virtualised 5G connectivity, offers a potential solution. Yet, the current uplink capacity of virtualised 5G faces constraints when handling the substantial data generated by real-world LiDAR applications. Hence, this thesis provides an overview about 5G and LiDAR technologies. Then, it goes into detail and look at what has been done to configure a system such that it can transmit real-time data from LiDAR sensors from an end device (drone) to the edge of the network. This work aims to explore the performance limits of devices to be able to send LiDAR traffic to the edge of the network. The aim is to exploit 5G technology, in particular by using a 5G software infrastructure based on OpenAirInterface, a real 5G base station and real user equipment. The aim is to fine-tune these components to improve their performance and to show different operating scenarios to see whether or not it is possible to achieve the set goal; in fact, this ambitious goal translates into achieving a sufficient uplink with controlled delays, a milestone that has not yet been reached using only open-source software. The research will comprehensively examine potential bottlenecks in the system in which it will be implemented and in the existing 5G infrastructure and develop optimisations to overcome these limitations. By delving into the complexities of 5G communication protocols, bottlenecks generated by the hardware/software used, and by employing real-world LiDAR applications, this project aims to contribute to the advancement of open-source solutions that can efficiently handle the challenging data processing requirements of LiDAR technology in a 5G environment. The mentioned phases show the overall picture of the entire work, in order to achieve the goal.