Bio-inspired recruiting strategies for on-demand connectivity over a multi-layer hybrid CubeSat-UAV networks in emergency scenarios

Abstract

In emergency scenarios, the network infrastructure must remain reliable and continuously available to ensure connectivity to people and optimal performance in supporting different types of applications, including real-time services. When terrestrial infrastructure is compromised during emergencies, Flying Ad Hoc Networks (FANETs) can offer a quick and effective solution for re-establishing connectivity in affected areas. The dynamic coverage provided by a swarm of UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) during a disaster could be crucial for people inside the affected areas. In high-demand and critical situations, the performance of FANETs may deteriorate due to several factors, including simultaneous user connections, high traffic volumes, limited energy resources of network devices, and interference arising within the same geographic region. To address these challenges, this paper proposes a novel, bio-inspired recruitment algorithm that aims to guarantee good performance of FANETs in energy constrained scenarios by efficiently recruiting UAVs to cover the demand of end users connected to the network. In such a scenario, when additional UAVs cannot be reachable using the on-earth network infrastructure and multi-hop routing, the recruiting can be supported through a multi-layer hybrid architecture that integrates CubeSats to forward recruiting requests to potential UAVs located far from the network. This approach not only enhances the connectivity of end users but also ensures that the network can efficiently be adapted to the demands of users in emergency situations.