Here’s an inspiring video of a robot swarm that has been developed by researchers at the Laboratory of Intelligent Systems of the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne. The project bypassed other approaches by foregoing the use of a GPS for position communication, and instead mimicking ant behavior. One of the drones acts as a node, and the others set up at 10-meter rotations around it. A GPS is used for monitoring, but not for the communication of position between these small UAVs, which provides for more stable, predictable and successful flight.
The idea is that this sensor swarm could be used for communication networks or monitoring in a crisis situation, filling in for down networks, and aiding in situational awareness. The low-cost, low-risk nature of this approach is really appealing. It builds on the idea of a sensor web, in a way that is quite compelling.
The drones communicate with one another, and aggregate information and monitoring capacity between themselves. The aerial drone platform provides an unobstructed perspective, while capable of being deployed immediately with minimal infrastructure hassles or costs.
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