Flying Ad Hoc Network (FANET) : An Exhaustive Summary

Vandana Fullara

Computer Science & Engineering Department

Greater Noida Institute of Technology, GGSIPU

Delhi, India

vfullara@gmail.com

Abstract : Speedy expansion and technological advancement of Wireless Network &

Communication followed by continuous research proceeding in different fields of
engineering has accomplished various milestones. Out of which the most talked-about
innovation is the development in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology which
have gone through accelerating advancements in the recent past. Promising the days
when UAVs can be harnessed for military, public, and civil applications. Although
single-UAV flying autonomously possessing versatility and flexibility is considered to be
an attractive approach. Multi-UAV systems can collaboratively complete missions more
efficiently and economically as compared to single UAV systems. Multiple UAVs
communicating with each other and performing assigned tasks in an ad-hoc manner form
a Flying Ad Hoc Network (FANET). In this paper Flying Ad Hoc Network are surveyed.
The differences between MANETs (Mobile Ad Hoc Networks) and VANETs (Vehicle
Ad Hoc Networks) and FANETs (Flying Ad Hoc Networks) are clarified first, and then

Keywords : MANET, VANET, FANET, UAVs,

Introduction : Flying Ad Hoc Network (FANET) is a collaborative and autonomous multi-
UAV system whose network architecture is peer-to-peer ad hoc in which nodes are UAVs and
communication is based on UAV-to-UAV data links. FANET is a subset of VANET, which is
also a subgroup of MANET. A comprehensive comparison of peer-to-peer ad hoc networks
MANET (Mobile Ad Hoc Network), VANET (Vehicle Ad Hoc Network) and FANET (Flying
Ad Hoc Network) are addressed below in Table-1.
CONTENT
Parameters Mobile Ad Hoc Network Vehicle Ad Hoc Network Flying Ad Hoc Network
(MANET) (VANET) (FANET)
Description Mobile Wireless Nodes Ad Hoc Networks in Ad Hoc or Infrastructure
connected with other which Vehicles are the based Networks of
Nodes within Mobile Nodes. Airborne Nodes.
Communication Range in Communication is among Communication is among
an Ad Hoc manner. Vehicles and between UAVs and with the
(No Centralized Vehicles and Roadside Control Station
Infrastructure required) Units
Node Speed Lower(6 Km/H) Medium to High Low to High
(20 - 130 Km/H) (6 - 460 Km/H)
Degree of Consistent, 2D, Random Consistent, 2D, Random Free, 3D, Either Random
Mobility Trajectories, Low Trajectories, High or Predefined Trajectories,
Very High
Node Density High Medium Low

Topology Random, Ad Hoc Star with Roadside Star & Mesh with Control
Infrastructure and Ad Hoc Center/Base Station and
among Vehicles Ad Hoc among UAVs
Topology Dynamic, Unpredictable. Linear Movement but Stationary, Slow, and Fast.
Change Network Prone to more Progressive than Network Prone to
Partitioning MANET. Linear Partitioning
Partitioning is common
Line of Sight Not Available Low in Urban Areas High

Computational Limited High High

Process
Energy Medium Low High (15-30 Min) ,
Constraints Medium (up to 5 Hr)
Localization GPS (Global Positioning GPS/AGPS (Assisted GPS/AGPS (Assisted
System) Global Positioning Global Positioning
System) System)
Launching Roads Roads Airfield or Directly by
Hands
Typical Use Information Distribution Traffic and Weather Rescue Operations,
Cases in Public Internet Hotspots Information, Wildlife Search,
& Civil Domain Emergency Warnings, Agriculture-Crop-Survey
Location-Based Services

Table-1 Comparison of Different Ad Hoc Networks.

Future FANETs with Applications :
References :

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