Comparative Study of Radio Frequency, Free-Space Optical and Hybrid Air-to-Air Communication for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Swarms

Abstract

In this study, a hybrid RF/FSO communication system is modeled and simulated in MATLAB to address connectivity challenges and ensure reliable real time air-to-air communication among UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles). Each UAV is assumed to communicate through either Line-of-Sight (LoS) or Non-Line-of-Sight (NLoS) links. The system continuously monitored link quality, and when LoS conditions degraded, a switching mechanism redirected the transmission to the RF channel, maintaining uninterrupted connectivity. Using this mechanism, key performance metrics such as delay, Bit Error Rate (BER), and Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) were analyzed. To evaluate system efficiency, three scenarios were investigated: RF only, FSO only, and hybrid RF/FSO communication. Results demonstrated that the hybrid approach achieved lower delay, reduced BER, and higher SNR compared to single-technology systems. By compensating for the limitations of each technology, the hybrid model provided more robust and efficient communication, proving its effectiveness for UAV network scenarios.