Unmanned-Aerial-Vehicle Trajectory Planning for Reliable Edge Data Collection in Complex Environments

With the rapid advancement of edge-computing technology, more computing tasks are moving from traditional cloud platforms to edge nodes. This shift imposes challenges on efficiently handling the substantial data generated at the edge, especially in extreme scenarios, where conventional data collection methods face limitations. UAVs have emerged as a promising solution for overcoming these challenges by facilitating data collection and transmission in various environments. However, existing UAV trajectory optimization algorithms often overlook the critical factor of the battery capacity, leading to potential mission failures or safety risks. In this paper, we propose a trajectory planning approach Hyperion that incorporates charging considerations and employs a greedy strategy for decision-making to optimize the trajectory length and energy consumption. By ensuring the UAV's ability to return to the charging station after data collection, our method enhances task reliability and UAV adaptability in complex environments.