An Optimized Geographic Routing Scheme in SDN-Enabled 5G UAV Networks

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) networks are essential for next-generation communication systems, enabling collaborative swarm operations for applications such as disaster response, surveillance, search, and rescue. However, the dynamic nature of UAV swarms, characterized by high mobility and frequent topology changes, poses significant challenges for efficient and reliable communication. Existing routing protocols, including traditional geographic routing protocols, struggle to maintain optimal performance in such a dynamic environment. To address these issues, we propose in this paper a novel mechanism called GeoSDN-UAV, an SDN-assisted geographic unicast routing protocol, that integrates Greedy Perimeter Stateless Routing (GPSR) with a Software-Defined Networking (SDN) architecture and 5G-enabled ground stations. Using SDN’s global network view, the controller dynamically optimizes routes based on real-time mobility of UAVs and link stability, ensuring resilient and efficient data delivery. GeoSDN-UAV is based on 5G ground stations to provide ultra-low latency communication, allowing instantaneous topology updates and routing adjustments when the UAV disconnections occur. The evaluation shows that GeoSDN-UAV significantly optimizes the performance of the UAV network in terms of packet delivery ratio, end-to-end delay, and routing overhead, particularly in high-mobility the UAV environments. Our proposal establishes GeoSDN-UAV as a scalable and reliable solution for the UAV in next-generation 5G and beyond networks.