Distributed SDN-Enabled Self-Healing UAV Swarms for Adaptive Network Control

Burak Toprak; Talip Tolga Sari; Gökhan Seçinti

doi:10.1109/PIMRC62392.2025.11275214

Distributed SDN-Enabled Self-Healing UAV Swarms for Adaptive Network Control

Burak Toprak^*
, Talip Tolga Sari
, Gökhan Seçinti

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Computer Engineering

Istanbul Technical University

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

Abstract

UAV swarms have become increasingly valuable due to their adaptability in complex scenarios, yet managing these swarms centrally in harsh environments remains challenging. This paper presents an autonomous and distributed UAV swarm framework designed to improve operational resilience against network disruptions, specifically jamming attacks. The swarm structure utilizes a head UAV orbited by subordinate UAVs that maintain communication through periodic heartbeat signals, monitoring packet delivery ratios (PDR). Adaptive relay ranges, influenced by UAV orbit radius adjustments, significantly enhance communication robustness. The proposed system offers self-healing and jammer avoidance capabilities while maintaining Software Defined Networking (SDN) functionalities that are convenient for operators. Simulation results confirm substantial improvements in latency, jitter, packet delivery ratio, and throughput under jamming conditions.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	2025 IEEE 36th International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications, PIMRC 2025
Publisher	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
ISBN (Electronic)	9798350363234
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/PIMRC62392.2025.11275214
Publication status	Published - 2025
Event	36th IEEE International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications, PIMRC 2025 - Istanbul, Turkey Duration: 1 Sept 2025 → 4 Sept 2025

Publication series

Name	IEEE International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications, PIMRC
ISSN (Print)	2166-9570
ISSN (Electronic)	2166-9589

Conference

Conference	36th IEEE International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications, PIMRC 2025
Country/Territory	Turkey
City	Istanbul
Period	1/09/25 → 4/09/25

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 IEEE.

Keywords

jammer avoidance
software-defined networking
UAV swarms

Access to Document

10.1109/PIMRC62392.2025.11275214

Cite this

Toprak, B., Sari, T. T., & Seçinti, G. (2025). Distributed SDN-Enabled Self-Healing UAV Swarms for Adaptive Network Control. In 2025 IEEE 36th International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications, PIMRC 2025 (IEEE International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications, PIMRC). Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.. https://doi.org/10.1109/PIMRC62392.2025.11275214

Toprak, Burak ; Sari, Talip Tolga ; Seçinti, Gökhan. / Distributed SDN-Enabled Self-Healing UAV Swarms for Adaptive Network Control. 2025 IEEE 36th International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications, PIMRC 2025. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2025. (IEEE International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications, PIMRC).

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title = "Distributed SDN-Enabled Self-Healing UAV Swarms for Adaptive Network Control",

abstract = "UAV swarms have become increasingly valuable due to their adaptability in complex scenarios, yet managing these swarms centrally in harsh environments remains challenging. This paper presents an autonomous and distributed UAV swarm framework designed to improve operational resilience against network disruptions, specifically jamming attacks. The swarm structure utilizes a head UAV orbited by subordinate UAVs that maintain communication through periodic heartbeat signals, monitoring packet delivery ratios (PDR). Adaptive relay ranges, influenced by UAV orbit radius adjustments, significantly enhance communication robustness. The proposed system offers self-healing and jammer avoidance capabilities while maintaining Software Defined Networking (SDN) functionalities that are convenient for operators. Simulation results confirm substantial improvements in latency, jitter, packet delivery ratio, and throughput under jamming conditions.",

keywords = "jammer avoidance, software-defined networking, UAV swarms",

author = "Burak Toprak and Sari, \{Talip Tolga\} and G{\"o}khan Se{\c c}inti",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 IEEE.; 36th IEEE International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications, PIMRC 2025 ; Conference date: 01-09-2025 Through 04-09-2025",

year = "2025",

doi = "10.1109/PIMRC62392.2025.11275214",

language = "English",

series = "IEEE International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications, PIMRC",

publisher = "Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.",

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Toprak, B, Sari, TT & Seçinti, G 2025, Distributed SDN-Enabled Self-Healing UAV Swarms for Adaptive Network Control. in 2025 IEEE 36th International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications, PIMRC 2025. IEEE International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications, PIMRC, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 36th IEEE International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications, PIMRC 2025, Istanbul, Turkey, 1/09/25. https://doi.org/10.1109/PIMRC62392.2025.11275214

Distributed SDN-Enabled Self-Healing UAV Swarms for Adaptive Network Control. / Toprak, Burak; Sari, Talip Tolga ; Seçinti, Gökhan.
2025 IEEE 36th International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications, PIMRC 2025. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2025. (IEEE International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications, PIMRC).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

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N2 - UAV swarms have become increasingly valuable due to their adaptability in complex scenarios, yet managing these swarms centrally in harsh environments remains challenging. This paper presents an autonomous and distributed UAV swarm framework designed to improve operational resilience against network disruptions, specifically jamming attacks. The swarm structure utilizes a head UAV orbited by subordinate UAVs that maintain communication through periodic heartbeat signals, monitoring packet delivery ratios (PDR). Adaptive relay ranges, influenced by UAV orbit radius adjustments, significantly enhance communication robustness. The proposed system offers self-healing and jammer avoidance capabilities while maintaining Software Defined Networking (SDN) functionalities that are convenient for operators. Simulation results confirm substantial improvements in latency, jitter, packet delivery ratio, and throughput under jamming conditions.

AB - UAV swarms have become increasingly valuable due to their adaptability in complex scenarios, yet managing these swarms centrally in harsh environments remains challenging. This paper presents an autonomous and distributed UAV swarm framework designed to improve operational resilience against network disruptions, specifically jamming attacks. The swarm structure utilizes a head UAV orbited by subordinate UAVs that maintain communication through periodic heartbeat signals, monitoring packet delivery ratios (PDR). Adaptive relay ranges, influenced by UAV orbit radius adjustments, significantly enhance communication robustness. The proposed system offers self-healing and jammer avoidance capabilities while maintaining Software Defined Networking (SDN) functionalities that are convenient for operators. Simulation results confirm substantial improvements in latency, jitter, packet delivery ratio, and throughput under jamming conditions.

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Toprak B, Sari TT , Seçinti G. Distributed SDN-Enabled Self-Healing UAV Swarms for Adaptive Network Control. In 2025 IEEE 36th International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications, PIMRC 2025. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. 2025. (IEEE International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications, PIMRC). doi: 10.1109/PIMRC62392.2025.11275214

Distributed SDN-Enabled Self-Healing UAV Swarms for Adaptive Network Control

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