IoT Enabled UAV: Network Architecture and Routing Algorithm

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can be deployed efficiently to provide high quality of service for Internet of Things (IoT). By using cooperative communication and relay technologies, a large swarm of UAVs can enlarge the effective coverage area of IoT services via multiple relay nodes. However, the low latency service requirement and the dynamic topology of UAV network bring in new challenges for the effective routing optimization among UAVs. In this paper, a layered UAV swarm network architecture is proposed and an optimal number of UAVs is analyzed. Furthermore, a low latency routing algorithm (LLRA) is designed based on the partial location information and the connectivity of the network architecture. Finally, the performance of the proposed LLRA is verified by numerical results, which can decrease the link average delay and improve the packet delivery ratio in contrast to traditional routing algorithms without layered architecture.