The Internet of Drones (IoD) has emerged as a dynamic and adaptable technology, offering endless possibilities across various industries. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) prove invaluable in agriculture, search and rescue missions, surveillance systems, and more, leveraging their mobility, expansive coverage, and access to remote locations. Additionally, drones enhance network architectures by boosting reliability, connectivity, throughput, and minimizing delays.

However, harnessing the power of drone networks presents challenges. The inherent unreliability of the wireless medium, limited battery life, and frequent topology changes pose significant obstacles. Security and privacy concerns also require thorough investigation. For these reasons, we explore IoD applications, reference operating scenarios, and examine the economic and social implications of widespread drone adoption through an accurate and comprehensive simulation platform. IoD_Sim is an open-source and in-house solution capable of extending Network Simulator 3 (ns-3) simulations for Integrated Non-Terrestrial Networks.