Integrating Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) with Vehicular Ad-hoc NETworks (VANETs): Architectures, applications, opportunities

Abstract

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Vehicular Ad Hoc NETworks (VANETs) have evolved significantly in the last decade, providing a wide range of advanced options for transportation networks. Despite these advancements, both networks may suffer from frequent link failures due to their dynamic nature, variable network density, and limited transmission range. To address these challenges, researchers have recently shifted their focus on how UAV–VANET integration can improve the functionality and performance of both UAVs and VANETs in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). However, there is a lack of comprehensive study that thoroughly examines the existing literature and identifies the open challenges of an integrated network of UAVs and VANETs In this survey, first, we discuss the advantages and applications of the integrated network and identify communication layer challenges that must be addressed for seamless, efficient, and robust UAV–VANET integration. Secondly, we present a comparative analysis of the recent advancements in UAV–VANET integration solutions and discuss their advantages and limitations. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive study that reviews the various recent integration approaches of UAVs and VANETs. This study will help researchers working on the development of future UAV–VANET architectures, applications, and protocols.