Design and Analysis of 3-Dimensional Beam Scanning in Large-Scale FANETs

In large-scale flying ad hoc networks (FANETs), the use of directional beams enhances communication range, reduces interference, and improves security. However, compared to traditional methods employing omnidirectional antennas, the required beam scanning inevitably extends the neighbor discovery process. This paper introduces a 3D beam scanning scheme for neighbor discovery, utilizing variable-width beams. Then we propose a theoretical framework to estimate both the neighbor discovery time and total network formation time, accounting for the impact of the Earth's curvature on space partitioning to refine the beam position pattern. By leveraging the estimated network formation time, we design optimized beam scanning schemes that, in combination with the enhanced beam position pattern, improve neighbor discovery efficiency and communication rates. Simulation results validate our analytical framework and show that the proposed schemes outperform traditional approaches.