Network simulation tools for unmanned aerial vehicle communications: A survey

Abstract

SummaryUnmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) communication has been proposed as an effective solution in both military and civilian scenarios, with low cost, high efficiency, high flexibility, and on‐demand deployment. Network simulation is an economically efficient method for validating new ideas in UAV communication. While some simulation tools have been proposed for UAV communications, there is a lack of a state‐of‐the‐art review to guide newcomers in this research field. In existing surveys, the discussion of network simulators is not comprehensive and the content discussed is outdated. There has also been no discussion of open‐source UAV simulation tools. To fill these research gaps, this survey presents an updated and comprehensive survey of UAV network simulation tools, including a unique collection of open‐source tools. Research challenges and opportunities have been proposed to inspire follow‐up studies.