IoT-Enhanced Hybrid 5G-UAV Networks for Post-Catastrophe Assessment

In the aftermath of natural disasters, where ground communication infrastructures such as cell towers are often damaged, establishing wireless communication links for rescue teams becomes a formidable challenge. Effective communication is paramount in post-disaster response efforts, enhancing situational awareness and facilitating remote monitoring for collaboration among first responders. This underscores the critical role of 5G technology, with its promises of faster data transfer speeds, lower latency, and scalability to support numerous connected devices. Post-disaster challenges extend beyond infrastructure degradation, encompassing difficult access for rescue teams due to debris and potential exposure to toxic substances, hindering both communication and the collection of vital information on damage and victims. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) emerge as a pivotal solution, able to access hazardous areas. This paper advocates for the implementation of hybrid 5G-UAVs networks as a robust solution, combining the strengths of 5G with UAV capabilities to swiftly establish communication links in challenging post-disaster environments. Introducing three mobility models MA-GA, MC-PSO, MC-random for drone networks, we conduct a comparative analysis with classical algorithms. The study underscores the potential efficacy of hybrid 5G-UAVs networks in post-disaster scenarios, emphasizing technological innovation to address communication challenges in critical response efforts.