3-D Trajectory Optimization in UAV-Assisted Cellular Networks Considering Antenna Radiation Pattern and Backhaul Constraint

This article explores the effects of 3-D antenna radiation pattern and backhaul constraint on optimal 3-D path planning problem of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), in interference prevalent downlink cellular networks. We consider a cellular-connected UAV that is tasked to travel between two locations within a fixed time, and it can be used to improve the cellular connectivity of ground users by acting as a relay. Since the antenna gain of a cellular base station changes significantly with the UAV altitude, the UAV can improve the signal quality in its backhaul link by changing its height over the course of its mission. This problem is nonconvex, and thus, we explore the dynamic programming technique to solve it. We show that the 3-D optimal paths can introduce significant network performance gain over the trajectories with fixed UAV heights.

[1]  Panos M. Pardalos,et al.  Approximate dynamic programming: solving the curses of dimensionality , 2009, Optim. Methods Softw..

[2]  Jie Gong,et al.  Multi-UAV Interference Coordination via Joint Trajectory and Power Control , 2018, IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing.

[3]  Valentine A. Aalo,et al.  Performance Analysis of Multi-Hop Amplify-and-Forward Relaying Systems in Rayleigh Fading Channels with a Poisson Interference Field , 2014, IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications.

[4]  Eyuphan Bulut,et al.  Effects of 3D Antenna Radiation and Two-Hop Relaying on Optimal UAV Trajectory in Cellular Networks , 2019, 2019 IEEE Aerospace Conference.

[5]  Ahmed E. Kamal,et al.  Trajectory Optimization for Multiple UAVs Acting as Wireless Relays , 2018, 2018 IEEE International Conference on Communications Workshops (ICC Workshops).

[6]  Cyril Leung,et al.  An overview of scheduling algorithms in wireless multimedia networks , 2002, IEEE Wirel. Commun..

[7]  Jie Xu,et al.  UAV-Enabled Wireless Power Transfer: Trajectory Design and Energy Optimization , 2017, IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications.

[8]  Mihail L. Sichitiu,et al.  Autonomous Tracking of Intermittent RF Source Using a UAV Swarm , 2018, IEEE Access.

[9]  Walid Saad,et al.  Deep Reinforcement Learning for Interference-Aware Path Planning of Cellular-Connected UAVs , 2018, 2018 IEEE International Conference on Communications (ICC).

[10]  Dimitri P. Bertsekas,et al.  Dynamic Programming and Optimal Control, Two Volume Set , 1995 .

[11]  Erik G. Larsson,et al.  Massive MIMO for Communications With Drone Swarms , 2017, IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications.

[12]  Sofie Pollin,et al.  Coexistence of Terrestrial and Aerial Users in Cellular Networks , 2017, 2017 IEEE Globecom Workshops (GC Wkshps).

[13]  Xiao Liu,et al.  Trajectory Design and Power Control for Multi-UAV Assisted Wireless Networks: A Machine Learning Approach , 2018, IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology.

[14]  Qingqing Wu,et al.  Joint Trajectory and Communication Design for Multi-UAV Enabled Wireless Networks , 2017, IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications.

[15]  HyungJune Lee,et al.  Adaptive Path Planning of UAVs for Delivering Delay-Sensitive Information to Ad-Hoc Nodes , 2017, 2017 IEEE Wireless Communications and Networking Conference (WCNC).

[16]  Paul de Kerret,et al.  Trajectory optimization for mobile access point , 2017, 2017 51st Asilomar Conference on Signals, Systems, and Computers.

[17]  Walid Saad,et al.  Unmanned Aerial Vehicle With Underlaid Device-to-Device Communications: Performance and Tradeoffs , 2015, IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications.

[18]  Zhilu Wu,et al.  Power and Trajectory Optimization for UAV-Enabled Amplify-and-Forward Relay Networks , 2018, IEEE Access.

[19]  Yuvraj Singh,et al.  Comparison of Okumura, Hata and COST-231 Models on the Basis of Path Loss and Signal Strength , 2012 .

[20]  Osman N. C. Yilmaz,et al.  Comparison of Remote Electrical and Mechanical Antenna Downtilt Performance for 3GPP LTE , 2009, 2009 IEEE 70th Vehicular Technology Conference Fall.

[21]  Derrick Wing Kwan Ng,et al.  Robust Trajectory and Transmit Power Design for Secure UAV Communications , 2018, IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology.

[22]  Emil Björnson,et al.  The Essential Guide to Realizing 5G-Connected UAVs with Massive MIMO , 2018, IEEE Communications Magazine.

[23]  Ismail Güvenç,et al.  Trajectory Optimization for Cellular-Connected UAVs with Disconnectivity Constraint , 2018, 2018 IEEE International Conference on Communications Workshops (ICC Workshops).

[24]  Feng Jiang,et al.  Optimization of UAV Heading for the Ground-to-Air Uplink , 2011, IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications.

[25]  Xiaoli Xu,et al.  Trajectory Design for Completion Time Minimization in UAV-Enabled Multicasting , 2018, IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications.

[26]  Rui Zhang,et al.  Throughput Maximization for UAV-Enabled Mobile Relaying Systems , 2016, IEEE Transactions on Communications.

[27]  Erdem Koyuncu,et al.  Deployment and Trajectory Optimization of UAVs: A Quantization Theory Approach , 2018, IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications.

[28]  Warren B. Powell,et al.  Approximate Dynamic Programming: Solving the Curses of Dimensionality (Wiley Series in Probability and Statistics) , 2007 .

[29]  Abdurrahman Fouda,et al.  Interference Management in UAV-Assisted Integrated Access and Backhaul Cellular Networks , 2019, IEEE Access.

[30]  Geoffrey Ye Li,et al.  Joint Trajectory and User Scheduling Optimization for Dual-UAV Enabled Secure Communications , 2018, 2018 IEEE International Conference on Communications (ICC).

[31]  Ismail Guvenc,et al.  Improved Throughput Coverage in Natural Disasters: Unmanned Aerial Base Stations for Public-Safety Communications , 2016, IEEE Vehicular Technology Magazine.

[32]  Derrick Wing Kwan Ng,et al.  Optimal 3D-Trajectory Design and Resource Allocation for Solar-Powered UAV Communication Systems , 2018, IEEE Transactions on Communications.

[33]  Emil Björnson,et al.  Understanding UAV Cellular Communications: From Existing Networks to Massive MIMO , 2018, IEEE Access.

[34]  Erdem Koyuncu,et al.  Deployment and Trajectory Optimization of UAVs: A Quantization Theory Approach , 2018, IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications.

[35]  Constantine A. Balanis,et al.  Antenna Theory: Analysis and Design , 1982 .

[36]  Lingyang Song,et al.  Joint Trajectory and Power Optimization for UAV Sensing Over Cellular Networks , 2018, IEEE Communications Letters.

[37]  Ismail Güvenç,et al.  Dynamic Mobility-Aware Interference Avoidance for Aerial Base Stations in Cognitive Radio Networks , 2019, IEEE INFOCOM 2019 - IEEE Conference on Computer Communications.

[38]  Chandra R. Murthy,et al.  An iterative re-weighted minimization framework for resource allocation in the single-cell relay-enhanced OFDMA network , 2016, 2016 IEEE 17th International Workshop on Signal Processing Advances in Wireless Communications (SPAWC).

[39]  Jeroen Wigard,et al.  How to Ensure Reliable Connectivity for Aerial Vehicles Over Cellular Networks , 2018, IEEE Access.

[40]  Ismail Güvenç,et al.  Trajectory Optimization in UAV-Assisted Cellular Networks under Mission Duration Constraint , 2019, 2019 IEEE Radio and Wireless Symposium (RWS).

[41]  Fatih Erden,et al.  RSS-Based Q-Learning for Indoor UAV Navigation , 2019, MILCOM 2019 - 2019 IEEE Military Communications Conference (MILCOM).

[42]  Michele Zorzi,et al.  Study of Realistic Antenna Patterns in 5G mmWave Cellular Scenarios , 2018, 2018 IEEE International Conference on Communications (ICC).

[43]  R. Bellman.  Dynamic programming. , 1957, Science.

[44]  David Gesbert,et al.  A Landing Spot Approach for Enhancing the Performance of UAV-Aided Wireless Networks , 2018, 2018 IEEE International Conference on Communications Workshops (ICC Workshops).

[45]  P. Pechac,et al.  Elevation Dependent Shadowing Model for Mobile Communications via High Altitude Platforms in Built-Up Areas , 2008, IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation.