Efficient QoS Provisioning Using SDN for End-to-end Data Delivery in UAV Assisted Network

Traditional TCP/IP networks have a vertically integrated control and data plane. This limits services, flexibility, and dynamicity. Software defined networking (SDN) has the potential to transform the network setup by interrupting the vertical integration. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are being used extensively to provide line-of-sight (LoS) links as aerial base stations. We have developed an SDN framework to provide steady and efficient communication in a UAV assisted network that has irregular links and changing network topology due to UAV movements. The proposed algorithm addresses the problem of routing and link switching by ensuring load balance in a dynamic UAV network. We have implemented SDN using openFlow for wireless scenarios by incorporating the mobility functions and WiFi interfaces in the UAV assisted networks. The proposed load balancing algorithm for UAV assisted wireless network has been evaluated in terms of the QoS parameters for the end-to-end data delivery. We confirm the workability and productiveness of the designed SDN framework in the UAV networks wherein the UAVs are operating as aerial backbone to serve the ground user equipment (UE).