UAV swarm communication and control architectures: a review

Campion, Mitch; Ranganathan, Prakash; Faruque, Saleh · 2018 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.1139/juvs-2018-0009

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Summary

This review paper addresses the limitations of current small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) operations and proposes a novel communication architecture for UAV swarms to enhance autonomy and reliability. The authors are motivated by the rapid growth of the commercial sUAS industry following the implementation of 14 CFR Part 107 regulations, which currently restrict operations to one pilot controlling one aircraft. While UAV swarms offer significant advantages in efficiency, labor reduction, and task distribution for applications such as precision agriculture and delivery services, existing swarm technologies are hindered by limited communication range, networking challenges, and size-weight-and-power (SWaP) constraints. The paper aims to survey existing literature on swarm control and communication while introducing a hybrid architecture that leverages cellular mobile wireless infrastructure to overcome these barriers. The study employs a literature review methodology to analyze current swarm architectures, specifically comparing infrastructure-based systems and Flying Ad-Hoc Networks (FANETs). Infrastructure-based systems rely on a central Ground Control Station (GCS), which creates a single point of failure and limits range, while FANETs enable direct UAV-to-UAV communication but suffer from high SWaP requirements and dynamic routing difficulties. To address these issues, the authors propose a hybrid architecture where cellular networks serve as the communication backbone for distributed UAV-to-UAV telemetry exchange, allowing for decentralized decision-making without the need for heavy onboard networking hardware. The paper also details preliminary experimental development using a custom testbed consisting of quadcopters equipped with flight controllers, companion computers, and mesh networking hardware. These systems utilize the Micro Air Vehicle Link (MAVLink) protocol to facilitate communication between UAVs. The findings from the literature review highlight that while various algorithms for autonomous control—such as particle swarm optimization, Kalman filters, and machine learning methods—exist, fully autonomous swarm demonstrations remain rare and mostly simulated. The proposed cellular-based architecture is identified as a solution that mitigates the range limitations of traditional RF links and the redundancy issues of central GCS control. The preliminary testbed results demonstrate successful UAV-to-UAV communication and coordination. Specifically, the authors achieved a demonstration where swarm UAVs autonomously followed a master UAV along a predefined flight path without collision, using real-time telemetry data exchanged via the network. The study notes that while cellular control is not yet regulatory approved, the testbed successfully validated the communication protocols and control methodologies necessary for future implementation. The significance of this work lies in its proposal for a scalable, reliable communication framework that aligns with the emerging capabilities of 5G networks and Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communication standards. By utilizing existing cellular infrastructure, the proposed architecture alleviates SWaP constraints and provides near-unlimited communication range, thereby enabling higher levels of swarm autonomy. The authors conclude that this approach is central to advancing the commercial utility of UAV swarms, particularly for complex tasks requiring coordinated, multi-vehicle operations. The paper serves as both a comprehensive review of the state of UAV swarm technology and a foundational step toward implementing cellular-based swarm control in future autonomous systems.

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• v2x connected vehicle