Method and apparatus for switching aerial base stations in wireless communication system

A method for controlling base stations in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

• performing a monitoring operation on a first base station that is mounted on a first aerial vehicle and forms a first cell in a predetermined communication area at a predetermined aerial position;
• determining whether the first base station needs to be replaced;
• in response to determining that the first base station needs to be replaced, controlling a second base station mounted on a second aerial vehicle to move in a direction of the first base station and form a second cell;
• in response to determining that coverages of the first and second cells overlap by more than a first reference value, changing each of the coverages of the first and second cells through physical controls on a first aerial vehicle system including the first base station and a second aerial vehicle system including the second base station;
• and
• in response to identifying that all of one or more communication nodes, which were connected to the first cell, are located out of the coverage of the first cell and located in the coverage of the second cell, determining that the first base station is successfully replaced with the second base station.

An apparatus for controlling base stations in a wireless communication system, the apparatus comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory electronically communicating with the processor;
• and
• instructions stored in the memory,
• wherein when executed by the processor, the instructions cause the apparatus to:
• perform a monitoring operation on a first base station that is mounted on a first aerial vehicle and forms a first cell in a predetermined communication area at a predetermined aerial position;
• determine whether the first base station needs to be replaced;
• in response to determining that the first base station needs to be replaced, control a second base station mounted on a second aerial vehicle to move in a direction of the first base station and form a second cell;
• in response to determining that coverages of the first and second cells overlap by more than a first reference value, perform at least one of an operation of controlling each of transmit powers of the first and second base stations and an operation of changing coverages of the first and second cells through physical controls on a first aerial vehicle system including the first base station and a second aerial vehicle system including the second base station;
• and
• in response to identifying that all of one or more communication nodes, which were connected to the first cell, are handed over to the second base station, determine that the first base station is successfully replaced with the second base station.