Communication Networks and Protocols

The main goal of our project is to conduct research and analyze various communication and networking protocols between Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. We also aim to design and build our own flight control and communications management board which combines the benefits of the protocols we\u27ve researched. The communication and networking system must allow for aircraft with transponders or ADS-B Transmitters to be detected. It must also generate a new trajectory and alter the aircraft flight path automatically if the autopilot function is engaged or the pilot is not aware of conflicting traffic. To achieve the above objectives, we first need to design and built a flight control board similar to those commonly used by autonomous drone pilots. Then, we need to program the control board to be able to receive inputs from ADS-B receivers (or temporarily, data transmitted from other aircraft with the same board in the open XBee mesh network) and be able to detect conflicting traffic and generate alternate trajectories. We have also decided to use a flight simulator to test our control board and protocol before commencing actual flight tests. Eventually, we will also be testing the system on the drones we build. On April 4th 2014 on discovery day we will be demonstrating the prototype board connected to the computer running a flight simulator. Where there visitors will be able to manipulate the board to control an aircraft on the flight simulator. The same way the board sends the commands to the flight simulator is the way it would to the final UAV, demonstrating the functionality of the control board