Joint model-driven design and real experiment-based validation for a secure UAV ad hoc network routing protocol

Abstract : UAV Ad hoc Network (UAANET) is a wireless ad hoc network composed of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Ground Control Station (GCS). Compared to the standard Mobile Ad hoc NETworks (MANETs), the UAANET architecture has some specific features that brings exciting challenges to communication architecture design. One of them is the design challenge of a UAANET routing protocols. It must find an accurate and reliable route between nodes in a timely manner to exchange data traffics. It must also be secured to preserve efficiency in the presence of malicious attackers and provides data integrity and authentication. Furthermore, UAANETs must be certified in the near future to act as autonomous systems without a dedicated safety pilot and to be authorized to fly in the national airspace. In such a context, in this paper, we contribute to the certification of the secure UAANET communication system software using a Model-Driven Development (MDD) approach and real experiments based validation. The validation process followed uses sequentially formal verification methods and real-world experimental results. The objective is to evaluate the routing protocol efficiency to a set of unexpected hazardous issues that come with the real environment.