Integration of drones' communication into an ITS network

Abstract

This paper presents the concept of a highly-sophisticated network system using unmanned aerial vehicles, further named drones, and wireless networks for enhancing safety against natural disasters. The system consists of several drones and ground vehicles. Each vehicle has a wireless network unit, which employs the dual-mode Wireless Access in Vehicular Environment (WAVE) in the 700 MHz or 5 GHz band, with the goal of creating a multi-hop (more than three hops) ad hoc network. These features enable the system to facilitate rescue and relief operations in the event of a serious disaster. The proposed system represents an innovation in the field of mesh network systems, being based on a combination of ubiquitous drones and ground vehicles.