# Joint Optimization of Transmission and Propulsion in UAV-Assisted Communication Networks

## TL;DR

This paper develops a comprehensive model for UAV communication and propulsion energy, formulating a nonlinear optimal control problem that optimizes mobility and transmission to significantly improve network capacity and energy efficiency.

## Contribution

It introduces the first joint optimization framework for UAV mobility and communication energy in multi-node networks, extending beyond single-hop configurations.

## Key findings

- Up to 70% energy savings compared to naive policies
- Enhanced network capacity through joint mobility and transmission optimization
- Validated models with numerical results for complex UAV networks

## Abstract

The communication energy in a wireless network of mobile autonomous agents should be defined to include the propulsion energy as well as the transmission energy used to facilitate information transfer. We therefore develop communicationtheoretic and Newtonian dynamic models of the communication and locomotion expenditures of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). These models are used to formulate a novel nonlinear optimal control problem (OCP) for arbitrary networks of autonomous agents. This is the first work to consider mobility as a decision variable in UAV networks with multiple access channels. Where possible, we compare our results with known analytic solutions for particular single-hop network configurations. The OCP is then applied to a multiple-node UAV network for which previous results cannot be readily extended. Numerical results demonstrate increased network capacity and communication energy savings upwards of 70% when compared to more naive communication policies.