Optimizing Inter-Cluster Flights of Post-Disaster Communication Support UAVs

In the aftermath of large-scale disasters, critical communication infrastructure is often destroyed. Ad hoc networks can restore wireless communication with basic functionalities, especially for civilians in the affected areas. However, as humans form groups and tend to stay around important locations like shelters in such situations, the network is highly intermittent. Autonomous Unmanned Aerial Vehicles can act as controllable and highly mobile data carriers between separated network clusters to enable delay-tolerant inter-cluster communication. A possible heterogeneous set of usable aerial vehicles and the necessity to adapt the system to various environments requires the system to be highly flexible. Combined with severe constraints in energy usage or number of available vehicles, there is a need to increase the efficiency of inter-cluster flights. In this paper, we present approaches to optimize inter-cluster flights based on communication performance and energy efficiency. The resulting optimization model is a powerful tool for operators to adjust system settings to match required demands.