Physics-Based Swarm Intelligence for Disaster Relief Communications

TL;DR

This paper introduces a physics-based control protocol for autonomous aerial swarms to establish resilient communication networks during disaster relief, enhancing connectivity in challenging environments.

Contribution

It proposes the extended Virtual Force Protocol (VFPe), a novel physics-based mobility strategy for UAV swarms to autonomously form communication networks in disaster scenarios.

Findings

VFPe enables effective autonomous network formation.

Node location dissemination impacts network performance.

Number of exploration nodes influences connectivity and robustness.

Abstract

This study explores how a swarm of aerial mobile vehicles can provide network connectivity and meet the stringent requirements of public protection and disaster relief operations. In this context, we design a physics-based controlled mobility strategy, which we name the extended Virtual Force Protocol (VFPe), allowing self-propelled nodes, and in particular here unmanned aerial vehicles, to fly autonomously and cooperatively. In this way, ground devices scattered on the operation site may establish communications through the wireless multi-hop communication routes formed by the network of aerial nodes. We further investigate through simulations the behavior of the VFPe protocol, notably focusing on the way node location information is disseminated into the network as well as on the impact of the number of exploration nodes on the overall network performance.