3-D Placement Schemes of Multiple UAVs in NFP-based Wireless Networks

Abstract

In this paper, we propose two placement strategies of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in network flying platform (NFP)-based wireless networks. The first strategy is based on a proposed distributed placement algorithm (DPA) that can be executed by the collaboration of the users and a high altitude controlling NFP (mother UAV). The second strategy uses a proposed centric placement algorithm (CPA) at the mother UAV to define the number and optimal placement of the needed UAVs. For the system model, a Matern Cluster Process (MCP) is used to describe the users' location in realistic scenarios. Based on that, we detail the proposed algorithms, and we derive the corresponding number expressions of the needed UAVs. Numerical results are used to confirm the derived expression and to evaluate the proposed 3-D placement strategies.