Battery optimization for unmanned aerial vehicles over multi-carrier terrestrial 5g networks

A non-transitory machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:

• receiving information about radio communication by an aerial user equipment operating in conjunction with one or more terrestrial radio networks, the radio communication including transmitting by radio circuitry of the aerial user equipment to one or more remote receivers on one or more respective uplinks;
• receiving information about uplink traffic demand on the one or more respective uplinks;
• receiving information about a remaining battery capacity of a battery system which powers the aerial user equipment;
• determining, based on the uplink traffic demand and the remaining battery capacity of the battery system, adjustments to transmit power on the one or more respective uplinks, the adjustments to optimize power consumption from the battery system in order to extend operational time for the aerial user equipment;
• and
• communicating, to the aerial user equipment, information about the adjustments to cause the radio circuitry of the aerial user equipment to reduce power consumption to extend the operational time for the aerial user equipment.

A method, comprising:

• adjusting, by a processing system including a processor, transmit power of one or more transmit paths in an aerial user equipment (UE), wherein the adjusting is based on uplink power control commands received at the aerial UE according to standardized uplink power control procedures for user equipment operating in conjunction with a terrestrial communication network;
• determining, by the processing system, a current battery charge level of a battery system, the battery system providing operating power to the aerial UE;
• reporting, by the processing system, the current battery charge level to network equipment, wherein the reporting comprises transmitting information about the current battery charge level over an uplink for the network equipment;
• and
• receiving, by the processing system, power control adjustment information defining uplink power control adjustments to the transmit power of the one or more transmit paths of the aerial UE to reduce power consumption from the battery system of the UE to extend an operational time for the aerial user equipment.