Multi-UAV-assisted Internet of Remote Things communication within satellite–aerial–terrestrial integrated network

Abstract

Due to the limited transmission capabilities of terrestrial intelligent devices within the Internet of Remote Things (IoRT), this paper proposes an optimization scheme aimed at enhancing data transmission rate while ensuring communication reliability. This scheme focuses on multi-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-assisted IoRT data communication within the satellite–aerial–terrestrial integrated network (SATIN), which is one of the key technologies for the sixth generation (6G) networks. To optimize the system’s data transmission rate, we introduce a multi-dimensional coverage and power optimization (CPO) algorithm, rooted in the block coordinate descent (BCD) method. This algorithm concurrently optimizes various parameters, including the number and deployment of UAVs, the correlation between IoRT devices and UAVs, and the transmission power of both devices and UAVs. To ensure comprehensive coverage of a large-scale randomly distributed array of terrestrial devices, combined with machine learning algorithm, we present the Dynamic Deployment based on K-means (DDK) algorithm. Additionally, we address the non-convexity challenge in resource allocation for transmission power through variable substitution and the successive convex approximation technique (SCA). Simulation results substantiate the remarkable efficacy of our CPO algorithm, showcasing a maximum 240% improvement in the uplink transmission rate of IoRT data compared to conventional methods.