Bonakdarpour says with automation drones need to receive GPS signal and position frequently. Operating an automated fleet of drones poses security risks that are less of a concern when piloting a single drone by remote control. The researchers recently presented the findings at the International Conference on Cyber-Physical Systems in Canada. The fleet completed all assigned tasks and more than half of the authentication checks. They found the online algorithm successfully managed the security-energy tradeoff within the energy limits of the drones.
#Drone station computer series#
The researchers conducted a series of simulations (see sidebar for video) using four drones to test for efficiency and security.
#Drone station computer Offline#
While an offline technique is limited because the preprogrammed flight paths do not allow drones to respond to unexpected events or changing conditions, Bonakdarpour says it provides the foundation for the online algorithm to operate. Managing tradeoff between energy and securityīased on their model, Bonakdarpour, Anh-Duy Vu with McMaster University, Canada and Ramy Medhat with Google in Waterloo, Canada, developed four operating methods – three offline optimization techniques and one online algorithm. The optimal placement may be in the middle of a lake and inaccessible in reality. Locating charging stations is another issue. It’s challenging, but that’s also what makes it exciting,” he said.įor example, if a battery lasts 15 minutes in the lab, it may drop to 10 minutes on a hot or cold day outside. “As we work on one problem, we actually find new problems we must solve. On paper the solution is relatively simple for a team of computer scientists, but Bonakdarpour says moving from theory to implementation is not as easy.
The model considers the energy required for each drone to complete its portion of the task and fly to a charging station as needed. To tackle this problem, Bonakdarpour and his colleagues developed a mathematical model to calculate the cost – time and energy – to complete a task based on the number of drones and recharging stations available.
“We also want to optimize the time and energy to complete the task, because drone batteries only last around 15 or 20 minutes.” The drones need to talk to one another without a central command telling each unit where to go and what to do when conditions change,” Bonakdarpour said. “The operating system must be reliable and secure. Borzoo Bonakdarpour, an assistant professor of computer science, says unlike piloting a single drone by remote control, operating a fleet requires an automated system to coordinate the task, but allows drones to independently respond to weather, a crash or unexpected events.
But making that happen is not as simple as launching multiple aircraft at once. With so many applications for the technology, an Iowa State University researcher says the next step is to expand capacity by deploying fleets of drones. And delivery companies will soon use drones to drop packages at your doorstep. Farmers are flying them over fields to survey crops. ( Larger image) Photo courtesy of the College of Liberal Arts and SciencesĪMES, Iowa – Search and rescue crews are already using drones to locate missing hikers. Borzoo Bonakdarpour is working on ways to improve efficiency and maintain security when operating a fleet of drones.
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