ILE: An Autonomous Connectivity Restoration Approach for Flying Ad-Hoc Networks with Limited Information Exchange

Flying Ad-hoc Networks (FANETs) frequently suffer from widespread disconnections due to unpredictable external disruptions, consequently leading to network partitioning into segments in which UAVs become isolated from the base station. To address this issue, this letter proposes the Infection-based Leader Election (ILE) algorithm to autonomously restore network connectivity after disruptions. The ILE identifies and elects a leader within each disconnected segment, which subsequently guides the restoration process. By limiting information exchange to neighboring nodes, the ILE achieves significant reductions in both computational complexity and communication overhead. After the leadership election process is completed, the elected leader coordinates nodes within the partition to execute cascading movements, enabling rapid restoration of network connectivity. The simulation results validate the effectiveness of our algorithm, demonstrating notable improvements in communication overhead and restoration time.