Physics-Based Swarm Intelligence for Disaster Relief Communications

Laurent Reynaud (1, 2, 3) , Isabelle Guérin-Lassous (1, 3)

1 DANTE - Dynamic Networks : Temporal and Structural Capture Approach
2 Orange Labs [Lannion]
3 LIP - Laboratoire de l'Informatique du Parallélisme

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.

Mots clés: Controlled mobility; physics-based swarm intelligence; virtual forces; unmanned aerial vehicles; disaster relief communications

Domaines: Réseaux et télécommunications [cs.NI]

Laurent Reynaud, Isabelle Guérin-Lassous. Physics-Based Swarm Intelligence for Disaster Relief Communications. AdHoc-Now 2016 - 15th International Conference on Ad Hoc Networks and Wireless , Jul 2016, Lille, France. ⟨10.1007/978-3-319-40509-4_7⟩. ⟨hal-01432959⟩