Effectiveness of Inter-Vehicle Communications and On-Board Processing for Close Unmanned Autonomous Vehicle Flight Formations

Developing an effective cooperative communication system for unmanned aerial vehicles can increase their autonomy, reduce manpower requirements, and improve mission capabilities.

Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio

Since World War II the military has invested in research and development of vehicles that can be operated by remote control or Artificial Intelligence (AI), taking the pilot out of potentially dangerous situations. These vehicles are also known as Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), Unmanned Airborne Vehicles (UAV), Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs), and Drones, among other names.

Industry has also recognized the importance these vehicles have for military and commercial implementation and has done a great deal to advance the technology. Educational institutions have also come to understand the significance of this major work and committed time, money, and intellectual resources into UAS development. Recent technology improvements and component miniaturization have increased the technical capabilities of small UAS.