Communications requirements, video streaming, communications links and networked UAVs

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) within Cyber-Physical Systems (CPSs) depend on Flying Ad-Hoc Networks (FANETs) as well as on Computer Vision (CV). The Flying Nodes (FNs) play a paramount role in UAV CPSs because relying on imagery poses austere and diverse restrictions in UAV communications. Nowadays, UAV technology is switching from a single UAV to coordinated UAVs swarms that undertake advanced objectives. This scenario calls for innovative networking paradigms to handle two or more FNs that exchange data (i) straightly (without intermediates within their communication range) or (ii) indirectly via relay nodes like UAVs. Designing a UAVs’ ad-hoc network is intricate because FANET’s prerequisites differ from Mobile Ad-hoc Networks (MANETs) as well as Vehicular Ad-hoc Networks (VANETs). FANETs have particular specificities about FN mobility, FN connectivity, data routing, cloud interaction, Quality of Service (QoS), type of application, and Quality of Experience (QoE), among other issues. This chapter goes through the UAVs’ challenges when functioning as ad-hoc nodes and expounds UAVs’ network models. It also typifies FANETs’ emergent prospects, impact, and how they fit in multimedia applications.