LoRa Technology in Flying Ad Hoc Networks: A Survey of Challenges and Open Issues

The Internet of Things (IoT) and Flying Ad Hoc Networks (FANETs) have become hot topics among researchers because of the increased availability of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and the electronic components required to control and connect them (e.g., microcontrollers, single board computers, and radios). LoRa is a wireless technology, intended for the IoT, that requires low power and provides long-range communications, which can be useful for ground and aerial applications. This paper explores the role that LoRa plays in FANET design by presenting a technical overview of both, and by performing a systematic literature review based on a breakdown of the communications, mobility and energy topics involved in a FANET implementation. Furthermore, open issues in protocol design are discussed, as well as other challenges associated with the use of LoRa in the deployment of FANETs.