ASTRO: Autonomous, Sensing, and Tetherless netwoRked drOnes

Abstract

We propose ASTRO, a drone network that realizes three key features: (i) networked drones that coordinate in autonomous flight via software defined radios, (ii) off-grid tetherless flight without requiring a ground control station or air-to-ground network, and (iii) on-board machine learning missions based on on-drone sensor data shared among drones. We implement ASTRO and present a suite of proof-of-concept experiments based on a mission in which a network of ASTRO drones must find and track a mobile spectrum cheater.