Handover Management for Drones in Future Mobile Networks-A Survey

Area of Science:

• Telecommunications Engineering
• Wireless Networks
• Robotics and Automation

Background:

• Drones are increasingly vital for environmental, civil, and military applications, with significant potential in 5G and 6G mobile networks.
• Their unique characteristics, like high-altitude propagation and mobility, present challenges for existing network mobility and handover models.
• Current drone network deployments face issues such as limited power, packet loss, congestion, and high speeds, impacting connection stability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review existing literature on handover management techniques for connected drones in mobile communication networks.
• To identify and detail the specific mobility management challenges faced by drones in future wireless networks.
• To explore advanced solutions for maintaining stable and reliable drone connections.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature review focusing on drone networks, mobility management, and handover processes.
• Analysis of challenges arising from drone characteristics in 5G and 6G environments.
• Evaluation of intelligent handover schemes, including machine learning and deep learning approaches.

Main Results:

• Existing mobility models are often inefficient for connected drone applications due to unique environmental factors.
• Frequent handovers and connection instability are significant issues in current drone network deployments.
• Intelligent handover schemes show potential for significantly reducing handover problems compared to traditional methods.

Conclusions:

• Drone networks require specialized mobility and handover techniques for stable and reliable connectivity.
• Machine learning and deep learning offer promising solutions for optimizing drone handover processes.
• Further research into intelligent systems is crucial for the successful integration of drones into future mobile networks.