A Survey and Analysis of Mobility Models for Airborne Networks

Mobility models serve as the foundation for evaluating and designing airborne networks (ANs). Due to the significant impact of mobility models on the networking performance, the mobility models must realistically capture the attributes of ANs. In this paper, we present a comprehensive survey and comparative analysis of mobility models that are either adapted to or developed for AN evaluation purposes. We evaluate these mobility models based on the following metrics: adaptability, networking performance, and ability to realistically capture the mobility attributes of ANs (including high mobility, mechanical and aerodynamic constraint, and safety requirements). To provide a deeper understanding and facilitate the selection and configuration of these mobility models, we also evaluate them based on randomness levels and associated applications.