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Review of Article: Codeword-based Data Collection Protocol for Optical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Networks

Review of Article: Codeword-based Data Collection Protocol for Optical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Networks

In the world of data transfer, optical data collection protocols for optical communication have a transfer rate of up to 2.5 Gbit/s.  Light of Sight (LOS) Free Space Optical (FSO) communication can support the high level of data connectivity required when multiple airborne Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are involved in a cooperative sensing scenario (Ramdhan, 2016).  This article proposes the protocol where collected data is ferried to a location where it can be analyzed, processed, stored, or forwarded to remote locations with cloud capabilities and viewing the collected data.
This dissemination of data through FSO has unique features for large bandwidth, high data rate, license free requirement, low power and low mass requirement (Ramdhan, 2016).  This surpasses the traditional RF method of data transfer in speed, security, and freedom to use without frequency allocation.  This data collection protocol is geared toward multiple UAV network architecture; three nodes are responsible for the transfer of data. 
3 Nodes
  • Sensor Nodes (Level 1)
    • Responsible for data collection randomly located in the UAV network
  • Drone Nodes (Level 2)
    • Receive the collected data from sensor nodes and ferry the information to a processing unit.
  • Data Collection Nodes (Level 3)
    • Relay nodes are responsible for information collected from the nearest drone. This node performs functions such as data compression, fusion, etc. 
Optical encoding and decoding is implemented within the data collection protocol of the UAV network.  The network architecture is based on two trees.  The first tree is the identification tree that uses the optical codewords to identify nodes in the network.  The second tree is the collection tree that picks up data from UAVs and routes it to the root drone to be delivered to a collection node.  Each UAV in the network is identified by a structured codeword and serves as an optical identifier (Ramdhan, 2016).
The inter-UAV FSO network has 3 basic link types.  These link types are: “ground to UAV, UAV to ground, and UAV to UAV (Ramdhan, 2016).”
This is an interesting article and displays the great advantages using FSO data transfer with incredible speed and efficiency when working in network of UAVs that work in applications such as Search and Rescue, fire monitoring, agriculture, and mining.  This almost perfect method for data transfer comes with handicaps.  Optical beams between these airborne terminals require a direct line of sight (DLOS) and can be interrupted by terrain or degraded by atmospheric conditions.

References:
Ramdhan, N., Sliti, M., & Boudriga, N. (2016). Codeword-based data collection protocol for optical unmanned aerial vehicle networks. Paper presented at the 35-39. doi:10.1109/HONET.2016.7753446

Link:
http://ieeexplore.ieee.org.ezproxy.libproxy.db.erau.edu/document/7753446/

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