Cross-Layer Communication and Networking Design for UAV Swarms: Modalities, Architectures, and Intelligent Adaptation

Abstract

Timely and dependable information exchange is essential for large-scale unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) swarms to coordinate under their fast motion, intermittent links, and limited energy on board. However, swarm deployments increasingly must contend with spectrum contention and jamming, as well as a lack of dependable infrastructure, which can reveal the shortcomings of traditional radio-frequency (RF) networking. This paper presents a synthesized overview of communication technologies and networking architectures for UAV swarm operations in FANETs. Representative studies were identified by a structured search and screening process across major venues of scholarly output, which are synthesized using a cross-layer lens including physical links, medium access, routing, information-centric networking, learning-enabled adaptation, and security. In this article, We compare RF/cellular with emerging high-capacity links including millimeter-wave and free-space optical communication, and then show how routing/indirection and content/function-centric paradigms (NDN/NFN) can mitigate fragility imposed by reliance on brittle end-to-end paths. Lastly, we analyse learning-based control (especially multi-agent reinforcement learning) for communication-aware mobility and resources management, as well as security approaches for contested settings. The resulting design perspective highlights recurring trade-offs among reliability, latency, throughput, energy, and integrity, and identifies practical research directions toward more robust and deployable swarm communication systems.