UAV trajectory planning in NOMA-aided UAV-mounted RIS networks: A budgeted Multi-armed bandit approach

Abstract

Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface (RIS) and Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access (NOMA) can be used as supporting technologies for driving the effective development of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) communication systems. Herein, both technologies are combined to widen the millimeter-wave Base Stations (mmWave-BS) coverage range. In this work, we consider UAV Trajectory Planning (UTP) problem to enhance the performance of a NOMA-based UAV-mounted RIS communication network. The problem is formulated using two Budgeted Multi-Armed Bandits (BMAB) schemes. BMAB is a variant of the classical MAB algorithm that considers the random cost of selecting an arm. The UAV performs as a bandit player attempting to maximize its achievable rate (i.e., reward) via accessing different grids in its trajectory. This reward is accomplished simultaneously while minimizing the energy/cost of flying the UAV from one grid to another to preserve its battery lifetime. Hence, two variants of the Budgeted upper confidence bound (BUCB), namely the BUCB1 and BUCB2, are investigated, where the simulations show that both algorithms outperform other benchmarks.