Analysis and optimization of OLSR and AODV routing protocols for highly mobile autonomous aerial vehicle networks: experimental performance evaluation in various application scenarios

Abstract

Driven by the rapid evolution of Autonomous Aerial Vehicle (AAV) technology, ad-hoc AAV networks are becoming increasingly significant in diverse domains such as telecommunications, security surveillance, search-and-rescue operations, emergency management, precision agriculture, and cargo transportation. Owing to their flexible deployment and tight coordination capabilities, AAVs enable real-time data exchange, unlocking considerable potential for tasks that demand high accuracy and swift response. Nevertheless, their three-dimensional mobility and continuously changing topology impose substantial challenges on the design of suitable routing solutions, because conventional protocols originally developed for Mobile Ad-hoc Networks (MANETs) are seldom optimized for aerial characteristics. This discrepancy underscores the necessity for a comprehensive analysis and optimal configuration that satisfy the stringent requirements of low latency, high throughput, and reliability in mission-critical AAV applications. Against this backdrop, the present study focuses on the analysis and modelling of two widely adopted routing protocols—Optimized Link State Routing (OLSR) and Ad hoc On-Demand Distance Vector (AODV)—in various deployment contexts of ad-hoc AAV networks. By evaluating the performance of these protocols, we identify their advantages, limitations, and possible enhancement directions, and subsequently propose configuration guidelines that deliver improved link quality.