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When Robotics Meets Wireless Communications: An Introductory Tutorial

Daniel Bonilla Licea, Mounir Ghogho, Martin Saska

TL;DR

This paper introduces Communications-aware Trajectory Planning (CaTP) as an interdisciplinary framework bridging mobile robotics and wireless communications. It presents detailed MR and UAV motion models (kinematics, dynamics, energy) alongside wireless channel models (deterministic, stochastic, and data-driven) and outlines a general optimization structure that couples trajectory design with communications objectives. The work surveys CaTP problem formulation, solution strategies, and a spectrum of example problems, including minimum-energy and energy-aware trajectories, while highlighting soft-constraint techniques and numerical tools for solving such mixed robotic-communication tasks. By emphasizing the tight coupling between mobility and connectivity, the tutorial advocates for integrated modelling to unlock RaC (robots aiding networks) and CaR (networks aiding robots) applications in 5G/6G contexts. The proposed framework and examples aim to catalyze practical CaTP research with broad implications for autonomous missions in complex wireless environments.

Abstract

The importance of ground Mobile Robots (MRs) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) within the research community, industry, and society is growing fast. Many of these agents are nowadays equipped with communication systems that are, in some cases, essential to successfully achieve certain tasks. In this context, we have begun to witness the development of a new interdisciplinary research field at the intersection of robotics and communications. This research field has been boosted by the intention of integrating UAVs within the 5G and 6G communication networks. This research will undoubtedly lead to many important applications in the near future. Nevertheless, one of the main obstacles to the development of this research area is that most researchers address these problems by oversimplifying either the robotics or the communications aspect. This impedes the ability of reaching the full potential of this new interdisciplinary research area. In this tutorial, we present some of the modelling tools necessary to address problems involving both robotics and communication from an interdisciplinary perspective. As an illustrative example of such problems, we focus in this tutorial on the issue of communication-aware trajectory planning.

When Robotics Meets Wireless Communications: An Introductory Tutorial

TL;DR

This paper introduces Communications-aware Trajectory Planning (CaTP) as an interdisciplinary framework bridging mobile robotics and wireless communications. It presents detailed MR and UAV motion models (kinematics, dynamics, energy) alongside wireless channel models (deterministic, stochastic, and data-driven) and outlines a general optimization structure that couples trajectory design with communications objectives. The work surveys CaTP problem formulation, solution strategies, and a spectrum of example problems, including minimum-energy and energy-aware trajectories, while highlighting soft-constraint techniques and numerical tools for solving such mixed robotic-communication tasks. By emphasizing the tight coupling between mobility and connectivity, the tutorial advocates for integrated modelling to unlock RaC (robots aiding networks) and CaR (networks aiding robots) applications in 5G/6G contexts. The proposed framework and examples aim to catalyze practical CaTP research with broad implications for autonomous missions in complex wireless environments.

Abstract

The importance of ground Mobile Robots (MRs) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) within the research community, industry, and society is growing fast. Many of these agents are nowadays equipped with communication systems that are, in some cases, essential to successfully achieve certain tasks. In this context, we have begun to witness the development of a new interdisciplinary research field at the intersection of robotics and communications. This research field has been boosted by the intention of integrating UAVs within the 5G and 6G communication networks. This research will undoubtedly lead to many important applications in the near future. Nevertheless, one of the main obstacles to the development of this research area is that most researchers address these problems by oversimplifying either the robotics or the communications aspect. This impedes the ability of reaching the full potential of this new interdisciplinary research area. In this tutorial, we present some of the modelling tools necessary to address problems involving both robotics and communication from an interdisciplinary perspective. As an illustrative example of such problems, we focus in this tutorial on the issue of communication-aware trajectory planning.
Paper Structure (35 sections, 123 equations, 5 figures)

This paper contains 35 sections, 123 equations, 5 figures.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Mobile Robot Modeling
  3. Wheeled Mobile Robots (WMRs)
  4. Forward Kinematic Model
  5. Inverse Kinematic Model
  6. Dynamic Model
  7. Energy Consumption model
  8. Rotary-wing UAVs
  9. Fixed-wing UAVs
  10. Final Comments on Models for Robots
  11. Communications System
  12. Wireless channel modelling
  13. Deterministic Models
  14. Stochastic Models
  15. Data driven Models
  16. ...and 20 more sections

Figures (5)

  • Figure 1: Differential Drive robot diagram.
  • Figure 2: Three-wheeled omnidirectional robot diagram.
  • Figure 3: A chain of relays composed of two UAV and one ground BS. In blue the LoS components, and in red the AoA and the AoD for each UAV BonillaEUSIPCO21.
  • Figure 4: (a) quad-rotor hovering, (b) quad-rotor moving to the left, and (c) quad-rotor moving to the right.
  • Figure 5: Fixed-wing UAV; the UAV antenna is indicated by a red dot. Front view of fixed-wing UAV performing a steady turn with a bank angle ${\varphi}_{e}$.

Theorems & Definitions (2)

  • Definition 1: Path
  • Definition 2: Trajectory