A Mobility Control Approach of UAV as Following Relay in a Flying Ad Hoc Network

This paper proposes a communication optimization method for FANETs using a following relay UAV. A designated communication support node dynamically tracks other nodes, providing relay services while maintaining mission flexibility. An adaptive mobility control algorithm based on virtual forces is proposed in this paper which can enable dynamic response to topology changes. Simulation results have shown improved network performance: the node degree is increased from 8.5 to 9 on average, and the network density rises from 0.17 to 0.19 in a 50-node network. The network throughput is improved by 18.5% in small networks (25-30 nodes) and 3-6% in large networks (45-50 nodes). The optimal number of support nodes varies with network size, offering insights for practical deployment.