Maximize the Value of Goal-Driven UAV Network Operations Based on Network Intelligence: A Comprehensive Review

Uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) have revolutionized various sectors, including remote sensing, surveillance, environmental monitoring, and disaster management. Rapid advancements in wireless communication technologies and situational awareness discovery capabilities present unprecedented opportunities to enhance the intelligence of UAV networks. This review defines UAV network intelligence as the convergence of situational awareness discovery, communication enhancement, and goal-driven intelligent decision-making. Guided by this definition, we explore the key enabling techniques for UAV network situational awareness discovery from UAV states to UAV network environments. To facilitate the awareness discovery, we investigate the integration of advancements in communication technologies, such as massive multiple-input–multiple-output, nonorthogonal multiple access, intelligent reflecting surface, and low-Earth orbit satellites. Based on the situational awareness and empowered by communication enhancement technologies, we emphasize the overall objective of UAV network intelligence: maximizing the value of goal-driven UAV network operations. This is achieved by exploring recent research efforts in three categories, including: 1) iterative optimization methods; 2) learning-based methods; and 3) heuristic methods. Finally, we discuss challenges and future research directions, contributing to the development of more resilient and adaptive UAV network solutions in increasingly complex and dynamic environments.