Research Papers
Joint Energy and Performance Aware Relay Positioning in Flying Networks
This scientific article authored by Hugo Rodrigues, Andre Coelho, Manuel Ricardo and Rui Campos from the ResponDrone Project, was published on April 2022 in IEEE Access ( Volume: 10).
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have emerged as suitable platforms for transporting and positioning communications nodes on demand, including Wi-Fi Access Points and cellular Base Stations. This paved the way for the deployment of flying networks capable of temporarily providing wireless connectivity and reinforcing coverage and capacity of existing networks.
Several solutions have been proposed for the positioning of UAVs acting as Flying Access Points (FAPs). Yet, the positioning of Flying Communications Relays (FCRs) in charge of forwarding the traffic to/from the Internet has not received equal attention. In addition, state of the art works are focused on optimizing both the flying network performance and the energy-efficiency from the communications point of view, leaving aside a relevant component: the energy spent for the UAV propulsion.
Law Enforcement Use of Drones to Enforce COVID-19 Measures
This research article authored by Niels Vandezande and Jos Dumortier from the ResponDrone Project, was published in Volume 7 (2021), Issue 3, of the European Data Protection Law Review.
The global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has driven governments to drastic measures to enforce social distancing. Law enforcement agencies are tasked with monitoring citizens’ compliance with those measures. In doing so, agencies are increasingly relying on technology, such as drones. As often with the deployment of new technologies, this may come with concerns for the rights and freedoms of citizens.
In this paper, Vandezande and Dumortier analysed some concerns rising from the law enforcement use of drones in managing the COVID-19 crisis.
RESPONDRONE – A Multi-UAS Platform to Support Situation Assessment and Decision Making for First Responders
This research article authored by Max Friedrich, Satenik Mnatsakanyan, Joonas Lieb and David Kocharov from the ResponDrone Project, was published on June 2021 in a book entitled: Advances in Human Factors in Robots, Unmanned Systems and Cybersecurity – Proceedings of the AHFE 2021 Virtual Conferences on Human Factors in Robots, Drones and Unmanned Systems, and Human Factors in Cybersecurity.
The RESPONDRONE project develops and evaluates a multi-UAS platform to accelerate situation assessment and ease decision making during natural disasters. In order to assure that the multi-UAS platform meets the needs of the end-users, first response organizations are part of the project and closely involved in the design, development and evaluation of the platform.
As one of the first steps in the project, a mock-up of the multi-UAS platform’s user interface was developed, which consists of two displays, one being a display for an on-site command center and the other a mobile application for the first response units in the field. Both displays were initially evaluated by eight subject matter experts in an online study and received good to excellent ratings regarding usefulness, usability and ease of use of the systems. The results are currently being incorporated into the displays and further evaluations are planned with the improved mock-ups.
Topography-based Fuzzy Assessment of Runoff Area with 3D Spatial Relations
This research article authored by Clément Iphar, Laurence Boudet and Jean-Philippe Poli from the ResponDrone Project, was published in 2021 IEEE International Conference on Fuzzy Systems (FUZZ-IEEE).
The scientific paper defined that Fuzzy logic has been successfully used in various crisis management systems. In such systems, the geographical aspect is usually very important and relies on Geographical Information Systems. Most of the approaches are focused on 2D information.
In this paper, the researchers use the fuzzy morpho-mathematics framework to define new relations to reason on the topography with a digital terrain model. In particular, they focus on the characterisation of the line of greatest dip. Without loss of generality, we then illustrate those relations on a case of runoff from a building and a terrain.
