A framework for synchronizing a team of aerial robots in communication-limited environments

This paper addresses a synchronization problem that arises when a team of aerial robots (ARs) need to communicate while performing assigned tasks in a cooperative scenario. Each robot has a limited communication range and flies within a previously assigned closed trajectory. When two robots are close enough, a communication link may be established, allowing the robots to exchange information. The goal is to schedule the flights such that the entire system can be synchronized for maximum information exchange, that is, every pair of neighbors always visit the feasible communication link at the same time. We propose an algorithm for scheduling a team of robots in this scenario and propose a robust framework in which the synchronization of a large team of robots is assured. The approach allows us to design a fault-tolerant system that can be used for multiple tasks such as surveillance, area exploration, searching for targets in a hazardous environment, and assembly and structure construction, to name a few.