Reduction of latency of microservice based loT applications in rural areas with lack of connectivity using UAV-based networks

Abstract

The Internet is the most powerful engine for social and economic growth, and it needs to be accessible to everybody. However, the possibilities for people living in rural areas to use digital services through broadband access are reduced compared to the inhabitants of urban zones. In this paper, digital services are brought closer to people living in rural areas where there is lack of Internet connectivity by means of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) based network. Decomposing loT applications into microservices and deploying them into UAV s allow to reduce their latency and hence to improve the associated quality of service, which is strict for this type of applications. Simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed solution, comparing the latency experienced by the applications in case there is lack of Internet connectivity with the situation in which one of the UAV s is able to reach a ground base station.