Leveraging connectivity for coverage in drone networks for target detection

Abstract

Target or event detection is one of the main applications of drone networks. Several cooperative search algorithms have been proposed for teams of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), where the goal is to minimize search time or maximize detection probability. In these works, connectivity often is considered a constraint in enabling cooperation. In this paper, we approach the target detection problem in drone networks from both detection and connectivity viewpoints. Our goal is not only to find a stationary target but also to inform the ground personnel (e.g., a rescue team) about the status of the target over a multi-hop communication chain. We analyze the performance of our coverage-based and connectivity-based path planning algorithms in terms of probability and time of detection as well as notification. We show that there is a trade-off between coverage and connectivity and with limited number of drones both aspects need to be considered for successful mission completion.