Drones can already provide a valuable view of disaster areas, search difficult terrain, and reach places where sending people may be difficult or dangerous. The next challenge is enabling multiple drones to work together as a swarm, covering larger areas while staying connected throughout complex missions. 

Karthikeyan Sundaresan is tackling that challenge through Project OMNISCIENT, a three-year effort supported by a $4.8 million award through the National Science Foundation’s Verticals-enabling Intelligent Network Systems (VINES) program.  

The project will develop an intelligent wireless network that can adapt as drones move, gather information, and take on different roles. 

“The goal is to move beyond thinking about one pilot and one drone,” Sundaresan, a professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, said. “We want the focus to be on the mission while the drones and the network figure out how to work together.”

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