AVENS implements co-simulation between an OMNeT++/INET simulation and the XPlane Flight Simulator, for modeling UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) communication.

The purpose of AVENS is to offer a platform for mobile ad hoc networks analysis where UAVs are mobile nodes sharing the wireless medium for exchanging messages. The goal is to use a flight simulator for controlling the aerial vehicles and a network simulator for obtaining network measurements such as transmission rate, goodput, RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indication), throughput, package loss, number of retransmission etc.

AVENS is part of a major research project concerning the provision of a test bed to simulate UAV flight and control, using different, controlled and changeable configurations. The main intention of AVENS is to provide a simulation test bed for virtual experiments of network coverage and connectivity among UAVs flying in cooperation or sharing the same airspace.

The two base simulation platforms, XPlane Flight Simulator and the OMNeT++ Network Simulator, are integrated with LARISSA (Portuguese only) in AVENS. In short, LARISSA provides a reliable and easy way to generate automatic code for OMNeT++ from an abstract UAV modeling.