Optimal Energy Management of UAV-Based Cellular Networks Powered by Solar Panels and Batteries: Formulation and Solutions
We focus on the problem of managing the energy consumption of a cellular network tailored to cover rural and low-income areas. The considered architecture exploits Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to ensure wireless coverage, as well as Solar Panels (SPs) and batteries installed in a set of ground sites, which provide the energy required to recharge the UAVs. We then target the maximization of the energy stored in the UAVs and in the ground sites, by ensuring the coverage of the territory through the scheduling of the UAV missions over space and time.