Agent Evaluation in Deployment of Multi-SUAVs for Communication Recovery

When earthquakes occur, solar-powered unmanned aerial vehicles (SUAVs), deployed as communication relay points, can construct a signal relay network to assist the ground mobile communication vehicles in resuming communication. Considering the urgency of disaster relief, a practical, accurate, and robust modeling method for multiple SUAVs deployments is vital. For this concern, this article first formalizes the deployment problem of multiple solar-powered UAVs in communication recovery by extending Group MultiRole Assignment (GMRA) (UGRA). In the second step, the success in this assignment process depends on the choice of the agent evaluation method. The evaluation benchmark in UGRA is SUAV path planning in a complex environment with uncertain subpaths and accumulative attitude errors. In response to this issue, we propose two innovative algorithms: 1) dynamic curve path-planning algorithm (DCPPA) and 2) greedy curved straight path-planning algorithm (GCSPPA). Moreover, with the time requirement in mind, one sufficient condition and one necessary condition are established to help the DCPPA achieve fast convergence. With these two novel agent evaluation algorithms, UGRA can rapidly deploy multiple SUAVs to establish a collaborative relay network within an acceptable time. Finally, simulation experiments at different scales are carried out to demonstrate the accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed solution.

I. Introduction

Solar-Powered unmanned aerial vehicles (SUAVs) have a better endurance performance than the traditional unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and SUAVs have been widespread in recent years [1], [2]. When the multiple SUAVs are appropriately equipped with communication devices [3], [4], the successful deployment of them from different SUAV base stations can construct a signal relay network to help ground communication vehicles recovery communication in disaster relief. Such an aerial relay network requires unified modeling that is accurate, robust, and practically executed. This article attempts to satisfy these requirements by formalizing and modeling the deployment of multiple solar-powered UAVs via Group MultiRole Assignment (UGRA).