Reliability, Throughput and Latency Analysis of an Aerial Network

Abstract

An aerial network is a self-organized network formed by aircraft systems deployed for a mission-specific purpose. Aerial networks are characterized by dynamic topologies and frequent network connections and disconnections primarily due to the fast moving nature of the aircraft systems. This paper considers an abstract paradigm for an aerial network, modeling it as a dynamic graph, and analyzes its reliability, throughput and latency characteristics. It defines metrics to measure the performance of an aerial network in terms of reliability, throughput, and latency. The analysis is intended to provide insights into the performance characteristics of an aerial network as a function of topology and mobility. The insights derived from this analysis are expected to lead to strategies for improving the network performance in real-world applications. This analysis also provides a set of building blocks which would lead to a general framework for identifying reliable and critical paths in a network (Approved for public release: distribution unlimited.).