A new class of Multi-Rotor Aerial Vehicles (MRAVs), known as omnidirectional MRAVs (o-MRAVs), has attracted significant interest in the robotics community. These MRAVs have the unique capability of independently controlling their 3D position and 3D orientation. In the context of aerial communication networks, this translates into the ability to control the position and orientation of the antenna mounted on the MRAV without any additional devices tasked for antenna orientation. This additional Degrees of Freedom (DoF) adds a new dimension to aerial communication systems, creating various research opportunities in communications-aware trajectory planning and positioning. This paper presents this new class of MRAVs and discusses use cases in areas such as physical layer security and optical communications. Furthermore, the benefits of these MRAVs are illustrated with realistic simulation scenarios. Finally, new research problems and opportunities introduced by this advanced robotics technology are discussed.

翻译：一类新型多旋翼飞行器（MRAVs），即全向多旋翼飞行器（o-MRAVs），已在机器人学界引起广泛关注。这类飞行器具备独立控制三维位置与三维姿态的独特能力。在空基通信网络场景中，这意味着无需额外天线定向装置即可直接控制飞行器搭载天线的空间位姿。这一新增的自由度为空中通信系统开辟了全新维度，为通信感知的轨迹规划与定位研究创造了多样机遇。本文系统阐述此类新型飞行器，并探讨其在物理层安全、光通信等领域的应用场景。此外，通过真实仿真场景具体展示该类飞行器的技术优势。最后，针对这一先进机器人技术所催生的新研究课题与机遇展开深入讨论。