A question-centric review on DRL-based optimization for UAV-assisted MEC sensor and IoT applications, challenges, and future directions

IF 5.8 2区计算机科学 Q1 TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Vehicular Communications Pub Date : 2025-02-26 DOI:10.1016/j.vehcom.2025.100899

Oluwatosin Ahmed Amodu , Raja Azlina Raja Mahmood , Huda Althumali , Chedia Jarray , Mohd Hirzi Adnan , Umar Ali Bukar , Nor Fadzilah Abdullah , Rosdiadee Nordin , Zuriati Ahmad Zukarnain

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-assisted Internet of Things (IoT) applications vary widely including data monitoring, data collection and analysis, intelligent navigation and object tracking, surveillance and emergency response, vehicular and intelligent transport, and agricultural, marine, and photogrammetry. Mobile Edge Computing (MEC)-based UAV-assisted IoT networks enable resource-constrained mobile or IoT devices to offload computationally demanding tasks to UAVs or edge nodes with more computing power in order to improve battery consumption, performance, or Quality of Service. UAV-assisted IoT applications generally require a lot of precision for efficient UAV control involving UAV movement and position optimization and Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) has recently been identified as one of the most prominent techniques for facilitating this and optimizing of the terrestrial network performance, thus improving the operation of these applications. This paper aims to answer twelve important research questions relating to the research on DRL for Mobile Edge Computing (MEC)-based UAV-assisted sensor and IoT applications from 47 systematically selected articles. The questions cover a variety of topics including the UAV-assisted MEC IoT applications studied, variants of deployed DRL, the purpose of DRL, Markov Decision Processes (MDPs) components, unique network architectural features, environments and integrated technologies, role of UAVs, optimization constraints, joint optimization frameworks, energy-management techniques, metrics examined, benchmark algorithms and performance results as well as identified probable future considerations based on the review. Lastly, the challenges and future directions of DRL application in UAV-assisted MEC systems are discussed. This paper aims to provide both communication generalists and optimization specialists with a comprehensive understanding of the research landscape in this field.

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来源期刊

Vehicular Communications Engineering-Electrical and Electronic Engineering

CiteScore

12.70

自引率

10.40%

发文量

审稿时长

62 days

期刊介绍： Vehicular communications is a growing area of communications between vehicles and including roadside communication infrastructure. Advances in wireless communications are making possible sharing of information through real time communications between vehicles and infrastructure. This has led to applications to increase safety of vehicles and communication between passengers and the Internet. Standardization efforts on vehicular communication are also underway to make vehicular transportation safer, greener and easier. The aim of the journal is to publish high quality peer–reviewed papers in the area of vehicular communications. The scope encompasses all types of communications involving vehicles, including vehicle–to–vehicle and vehicle–to–infrastructure. The scope includes (but not limited to) the following topics related to vehicular communications: Vehicle to vehicle and vehicle to infrastructure communications Channel modelling, modulating and coding Congestion Control and scalability issues Protocol design, testing and verification Routing in vehicular networks Security issues and countermeasures Deployment and field testing Reducing energy consumption and enhancing safety of vehicles Wireless in–car networks Data collection and dissemination methods Mobility and handover issues Safety and driver assistance applications UAV Underwater communications Autonomous cooperative driving Social networks Internet of vehicles Standardization of protocols.