Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-xfwgj Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-23T10:33:54.501Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

5 - UAV Systems and Networks: Emulation and Field Demonstration

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 November 2017

Jae H. Kim
Affiliation:
Boeing Research and Technology
Natasha Neogi
Affiliation:
NASA
Claudiu Danilov
Affiliation:
Boeing Research and Technology
Andres Ortiz
Affiliation:
AeroVironment
Kamesh Namuduri
Affiliation:
University of North Texas
Serge Chaumette
Affiliation:
Université de Bordeaux
Jae H. Kim
Affiliation:
Boeing Research and Technology
James P. G. Sterbenz
Affiliation:
University of Kansas
Get access

Summary

This chapter discusses the design, implementation and deployment of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) network for the purpose of transmitting video surveillance data amongst nodes. It presents a heterogeneous network consisting of multiple stationary and mobile ground-based nodes, as well as multiple autonomous aerial vehicles. A design process to enable emergent system safety in an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Platform System through the correct integration of critical UAV subsystems in a scalable fashion to enable collaboration across multiple UAVs is outlined. The UAV network system field demonstration comprised of 16 fixed ground nodes, 1 mobile ground node, and 2 airborne nodes connected by two routing gateways to a legacy wired network is described. Networking and communications effects, including the impact of node mobility, network partitioning and merging, as well as gateway failovers are examined through the course of the demonstration. Discussion of the networking protocols deployed, as well as analysis of performance issues are then placed in context of the overall field demonstration.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Platform Systems

The Aerospace Laboratory for Embedded Autonomous Systems (ALEAS) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) platform system consists of several individual Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Each system had a common architecture along with attendant ground stations which can be used to relay commands, as well as operational procedures, to the UAVs if needed. Amodular software infrastructure was then used to enable collaborative UAV flight [361]. The main purpose of the UAS platform was to develop assurance methods to enable autonomous flight of UAVs in a shared airspace environment, such as the National Airspace System (NAS). Thus, a primary concern was making sure that the system exhibits high safety and reliability standards. The field demonstration [125], further detailed in Section 5.2.1, required that a video be streamed across a network comprised of both ground and aerial nodes. As fielded in the outlined experiment, the UAS system consisted of two UAVs, continuously operating at an altitude of approximately 100–300ft. above ground level for roughly 50 minutes each.

Type
Chapter
Information
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2017

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×