Load Balancing in 3D Wireless Networks with UAV

Wireless networks with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as airborne base stations have become a promising technology to increase the coverage area of users. When users move at high speed in the coverage area of a UAV network, an efficient handover algorithm is required to maintain the users’ quality of service. On the other hand, the network load should be fairly distributed to avoid crowded stations and stations without service.

This paper presents an efficient algorithm for selecting the target base station in the handover process for mobile users in UAV-based wireless networks. The proposed algorithm satisfies the quality of service required by the users in the coverage of the new base station while reducing the number of unnecessary handovers between the base stations and distributing the load among them fairly.

The simulation results show that the proposed method enhances the Jain's fairness index and spectral efficiency and also, reduces the ping-pong rate.

Originality: 

Due to the increasing demand for developing UAVs in next-generation wireless networks, the proposed method can be used for handover in these networks.