Bio-Inspired Routing Protocols: The Path to On-Demand UAV Networks

Houze Feng; Jingjing Wang; Jianrui Chen; Haohua Du; Mengyuan Zhang; Chunxiao Jiang

doi:10.1109/MNET.2025.3542509

Bio-Inspired Routing Protocols: The Path to On-Demand UAV Networks

Houze Feng
, Jingjing Wang^*
, Jianrui Chen
, Haohua Du
, Mengyuan Zhang
, Chunxiao Jiang

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Cyber Science and Technology

Beihang University
Tsinghua University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

The escalating integration of uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV)-enabled flying ad hoc networks (FANETs) into various sectors necessitates robust and adaptable routing protocols. Particularly, the unique features of FANETs, such as high mobility, low node density, and frequent topology changes, pose significant challenges for routing protocol design. Furthermore, the architectural framework of bio-inspired protocols which often promises network resilience and efficiency is comprehensively analyzed. A bio-inspired on-demand routing protocol for UAV Networks is proposed, which outperforms traditional routing schemes for FANETs in terms of both end-to-end delay and packet delivery rate. Finally, several open issues for future investigations on how to construct bio-inspired routing protocols for FANETs in 6G era is discussed.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	337-344
Number of pages	8
Journal	IEEE Network
Volume	40
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/MNET.2025.3542509
State	Published - 2026

Keywords

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)
bio-inspired on-demand routing protocol
flying ad hoc network (FANET)
routing protocols

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10.1109/MNET.2025.3542509

Cite this

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title = "Bio-Inspired Routing Protocols: The Path to On-Demand UAV Networks",

abstract = "The escalating integration of uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV)-enabled flying ad hoc networks (FANETs) into various sectors necessitates robust and adaptable routing protocols. Particularly, the unique features of FANETs, such as high mobility, low node density, and frequent topology changes, pose significant challenges for routing protocol design. Furthermore, the architectural framework of bio-inspired protocols which often promises network resilience and efficiency is comprehensively analyzed. A bio-inspired on-demand routing protocol for UAV Networks is proposed, which outperforms traditional routing schemes for FANETs in terms of both end-to-end delay and packet delivery rate. Finally, several open issues for future investigations on how to construct bio-inspired routing protocols for FANETs in 6G era is discussed.",

keywords = "Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), bio-inspired on-demand routing protocol, flying ad hoc network (FANET), routing protocols",

author = "Houze Feng and Jingjing Wang and Jianrui Chen and Haohua Du and Mengyuan Zhang and Chunxiao Jiang",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 1986-2012 IEEE.",

year = "2026",

doi = "10.1109/MNET.2025.3542509",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Bio-Inspired Routing Protocols

T2 - The Path to On-Demand UAV Networks

AU - Feng, Houze

AU - Wang, Jingjing

AU - Chen, Jianrui

AU - Du, Haohua

AU - Zhang, Mengyuan

AU - Jiang, Chunxiao

PY - 2026

Y1 - 2026

N2 - The escalating integration of uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV)-enabled flying ad hoc networks (FANETs) into various sectors necessitates robust and adaptable routing protocols. Particularly, the unique features of FANETs, such as high mobility, low node density, and frequent topology changes, pose significant challenges for routing protocol design. Furthermore, the architectural framework of bio-inspired protocols which often promises network resilience and efficiency is comprehensively analyzed. A bio-inspired on-demand routing protocol for UAV Networks is proposed, which outperforms traditional routing schemes for FANETs in terms of both end-to-end delay and packet delivery rate. Finally, several open issues for future investigations on how to construct bio-inspired routing protocols for FANETs in 6G era is discussed.

AB - The escalating integration of uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV)-enabled flying ad hoc networks (FANETs) into various sectors necessitates robust and adaptable routing protocols. Particularly, the unique features of FANETs, such as high mobility, low node density, and frequent topology changes, pose significant challenges for routing protocol design. Furthermore, the architectural framework of bio-inspired protocols which often promises network resilience and efficiency is comprehensively analyzed. A bio-inspired on-demand routing protocol for UAV Networks is proposed, which outperforms traditional routing schemes for FANETs in terms of both end-to-end delay and packet delivery rate. Finally, several open issues for future investigations on how to construct bio-inspired routing protocols for FANETs in 6G era is discussed.

KW - Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)

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KW - flying ad hoc network (FANET)

KW - routing protocols

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DO - 10.1109/MNET.2025.3542509

M3 - 文章

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Bio-Inspired Routing Protocols: The Path to On-Demand UAV Networks

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