Mobile ad hoc networks in the sky: state of the art, opportunities, and challenges.

ABSTRACTUnmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) networks and communications is an emerging research discipline. Researchers are envisioning networks of UAVs for time-critical humanitarian applications such as search-and-rescue, disaster assessment and recovery operations, fire-control, and such. While these are the known applications, we can expect to see increased number of applications as the airborne networking technologies mature. In this paper, we review the state of the art in this emerging discipline and discuss the opportunities that are opened up and the challenges that need to be addressed before UAV networks can be deployed in the air for civilian applications.