Comparative Analysis of Stand-alone and Hybrid Multi-UAV Network Architectures for Disaster Response Missions

Disaster response missions demand robust and efficient communication networks to coordinate unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) effectively. The choice of network architecture in UAV networks is application-specific and depends on factors such as scalability, fault tolerance, and the level of autonomy. This paper presents a comprehensive comparative analysis of different network architectures—both stand-alone and hybrid—in the context of disaster missions. The advantages and challenges of each architecture are studied and performance is evaluated concerning factors crucial to disaster response, including resource efficiency, latency, communication overhead, scalability, and adaptability. The findings provide valuable insights into the suitability of each architecture in disaster response contexts, facilitating informed decision-making in designing resilient UAV communication networks for critical missions.