Abstract
In the past, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) were mostly used in military operations to prevent pilot losses. Nowadays, the fast technological evolution has enabled the production of a class of cost-effective UAVs that can service a plethora of public and civilian applications, especially when configured to work cooperatively to accomplish a task. However, designing a communication network among the UAVs is a challenging task. In this article, we propose a centralized UAV placement strategy, where UAVs are used as flying access points forming a mesh network, providing connectivity to ground nodes deployed in a target area. The geographical placement of UAVs is optimized based on a Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithm (MOEA). The goal of the proposed scheme is to cover all ground nodes using a minimum number of UAVs, while maximizing the fulfillment of their data rate requirements. The UAVs can employ different data rates depending on the channel conditions, which are expressed by the Signal-to-Noise-Ratio (SNR). In this work, the elitist Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II) is used to find a set of optimal positions to place UAVs, given the positions of the ground nodes. We evaluate the trade-off between the number of UAVs used to cover the target area and the data rate requirement of the ground nodes. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm can optimize the UAV placement given the requirement and the positions of the ground nodes in the geographical area.
Highlights
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), known as drones, refer to aircraft with no human pilot on board
Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm can optimize the UAV placement given the requirement and the positions of the ground nodes in the geographical area
This work extends our previous work [12], where we considered the use of a swarm of UAVs as flying access points forming a mesh network among themselves, providing connectivity to ground nodes (GNs)
Summary
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), known as drones, refer to aircraft with no human pilot on board. These are either programmed and fully autonomous or remotely and fully controlled from another location, e.g., ground or space station. Large UAVs are commonly used singly, for instance, in military operations such as border surveillance, strikes, and reconnaissance, whereas small UAVs may be utilized in swarms to accomplish a mission. With advancement in electronics and sensor technology, small UAVs are becoming massively present in many public and civilian applications, such as in search and rescue operations [2], aerial surveillance [3], tracking targets [4], agriculture field monitoring [5], network extension or compensation [6], and leisure, to mention a few.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
