UAV Communications Based on Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access

This article proposes a novel framework for unmaned aerial vehicle (UAV) networks with massive access capability supported by non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA). In order to better understand NOMA enabled UAV networks, three case studies are carried out. We first provide performance evaluation of NOMA enabled UAV networks by adopting stochastic geometry to model the positions of UAVs and ground users. Then we investigate the joint trajectory design and power allocation for static NOMA users based on a simplified two-dimensional (2D) model that UAV is flying around at fixed height. As a further advance, we demonstrate the UAV placement issue with the aid of machine learning techniques when the ground users are roaming and the UAVs are capable of adjusting their positions in three-dimensions (3D) accordingly. With these case studies, we can comprehensively understand the UAV systems from fundamental theory to practical implementation

UAV-Enabled Uplink Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access System: Joint Deployment and Power Control

In order to overcome the inherent latency in multi-user unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) networks with orthogonal multiple access (OMA). In this paper, we investigate the UAV enabled uplink non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) network, where a UAV is deployed to collect the messages transmitted by ground users. In order to maximize the sum rate of all users and to meet the quality of service (QoS) requirement, we formulate an optimization problem, in which the UAV deployment position and the power control are jointly optimized. This problem is non-convex and some variables are binary, and thus it is a typical NP hard problem. In this paper, an iterative algorithm is proposed with the assistance of successive convex approximate (SCA) technique and the penalty function method. In order to reduce the high computational complexity of the iterative algorithm, a low complexity approximation algorithm is then proposed, which can achieve a similar performance compared to the iterative algorithm. Compared with OMA scheme and conventional NOMA scheme, numerical results show that our proposed algorithms can efficiently improve the sum rate