D3S: A Framework for Enabling Unmanned Aerial Vehicles as a Service

Abstract: In this paper, we consider the use of UAVs to provide wireless connectivity services, for example after failures of wireless network components or to simply provide additional bandwidth on demand, and introduce the concept of UAVs as a service (UaaS). To facilitate UaaS, we introduce a novel framework, dubbed D3S, which consists of four phases: demand, decision, deployment, and service. The main objective of this framework is to develop efficient and realistic solutions to implement these four phases. The technical problems include determining the type and number of UAVs to be deployed, and also their final locations (e.g., hovering or on-ground), which is important for serving certain applications. These questions will be part of the decision phase. They also include trajectory planning of UAVs when they have to travel between charging stations and deployment locations and may have to do this several times. These questions will be part of the deployment phase. The service phase includes the implementation of the backbone communication and data routing between UAVs and between UAVs and ground control stations.