Fraunhofer develops mesh networking for drone swarm control
Fraunhofer IIS is developing a decentralized mesh networking technology to control drone swarms, enhancing flexibility and reducing interference compared to traditional centralized systems.
Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS are developing a new technology to control drone swarms using decentralized mesh networks. The aim is to improve inter-drone communication and reduce reliance on centralized mobile networks, which can be vulnerable to interference.
Traditionally, drone swarms are controlled centrally via mobile communication links. In this "star topology," drones communicate through a single central node. If this node fails, for example, due to a natural disaster, the swarm's communication is disrupted. Fraunhofer's developed "mesh network" enables direct communication between drones, even without an external network connection.
"We are developing a mobile ad hoc network in which multiple drones are interconnected in a decentralized manner and communicate via Bluetooth, for example," explains Manuel Schrauth, Group Manager at Fraunhofer IIS. This decentralized approach makes the system less susceptible to interference and more flexible, which is crucial for applications like disaster response. The technology is also energy-efficient and cost-effective, suitable for lightweight drones used in civilian applications.
The development of this technology originated from projects within the GAIA initiative, which explored decentralized communication for vulture tracking devices in Namibia. This expertise is now being applied to networking drone swarms. Fraunhofer IIS will present initial results of the technology at the ILA Berlin Air Show.