Optimized MPR Selection in OLSR routing protocol for UAV Communications in Public Safety applications

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Ad-hoc Networks (UANETs) are vital in disaster scenarios, providing reliable communication for life-saving operations despite challenges such as rapid changes in network topology and energy constraints that can lead to link instability. Although current enhancements to the Optimized Link State Routing (OLSR) protocol focus on real-time metrics, they often struggle to adapt to dynamic conditions, revealing a significant limitation. In response to this challenge, we present an optimized OLSR protocol that effectively integrates real-time metrics such as congestion, node position, and energy levels with predictive metrics, including estimated node lifetime and movement direction, within the Multi-Point Relay (MPR) selection process. This approach enhances network stability and extends operational lifespan by proactively avoiding unstable links before disruptions occur. Our analysis demonstrates that the proposed protocol outperforms existing OLSR-based solutions, achieving improved average throughput, higher Packet DeliveryRatios (PDR), and extended node lifespans across various conditions, including both sparse and dense networks, as well as low and high mobility scenarios.