A Dynamic Optimization Framework for Computation Rate Maximization in UAV-Assisted Mobile Edge Computing

Mobile edge computing (MEC) significantly boosts the computing power and reduces the energy consumption of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, serving as a valuable complement to cloud computing. The application of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for MEC systems can effectively alleviate the issue of insufficient or damaged communication facilities in remote areas, further expanding the scope of MEC applications. In this article, we present a system model for UAV-assisted wireless-powered MEC systems in a dynamic environment with the objective of maximizing the computation rate of user devices. Due to the complexity of the optimization objective in dynamic environments, we propose a swarm intelligence-based optimization framework with a mechanism for responding to environmental changes, which is intended to enhance population diversity in both static and dynamic environments with the aim of overcoming premature convergence. We integrate particle swarm optimization and harmony search into the proposed framework, naming them DOPSO and DOHS, respectively. Simulation results for two offloading modes in UAV-assisted MEC systems indicate that the proposed framework significantly outperforms other dynamic optimization algorithms.