UAV-Assisted Offloading Via Satellite Backhaul for Post-Disaster and Crowded Cellular Networks

In this paper, our aim is to enhance network resilience and efficiency in post-disaster and crowded cellular networks by integrating unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and satellites. The proposed two-step network recovery involves determining the optimal 3D placement of UAVs to maximize user coverage in disrupted or congested areas, followed by allocating each UAV to a satellite for reliable backhauling and efficient offloading, while considering satellite visibility and UAV caching constraints. The numerical results demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed 3D placement algorithm compared to the existing methods. Additionally, we analyze and discuss the impact of the number of satellites on backhauling delay and cached demand at UAVs.