Network activity mapping and post-disaster ad-hoc networking using drones
View Patent ↗A method and system for calculating network activity patterns in a region prior to a disaster, and forming ad-hoc networks based on these patterns. The system and method are configured to perform aerial surveys of different areas prior to an outage. After an outage occurs, the system can automatically generate a deployment configuration for a set of drones that will create an ad-hoc network. The ad-hoc network can be formed as either a mesh network where there are sufficient drones available, or a messenger network, where there are an insufficient number of drones available to form the mesh network.
1 . A method of creating a custom deployment strategy for one or more unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to form an ad-hoc network, the method comprising:
generating, by a drone communications system and in response to a prediction that a network outage will occur in a first region, instructions to conduct a network activity survey of the first region;
deploying, via a UAV repository and in response to the instructions, a first UAV to perform a first flyover of the first region, the first UAV including onboard sensors that collect a first dataset describing one or more of cell tower locations, wireless access points, and wireless network usage patterns in the first region;
receiving, at the drone communications system, the first dataset;
receiving, at the drone communications system, inventory data from the UAV repository; and
creating, based on the first dataset and the inventory data, a deployment strategy that identifies a configuration of the UAVs currently available in the UAV repository that can provide emergency communication services to either the greatest number of devices located in the first region or the largest area in the first region.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, at the drone communications system, a second dataset including an environmental disaster forecast; and
predicting, at the drone communications system and based on the second dataset, there is a high likelihood of an impending disaster event impacting the first region that will cause the network outage.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating, by the drone communications system and based on the second dataset, a graphical heat map characterizing wireless network traffic for the first region, wherein the deployment strategy is based on the graphical heat map.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the configuration describes an arrangement of the UAVs to form either an ad-hoc mesh network or an ad-hoc messenger network.
5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising determining, at the drone communications system, that the inventory data indicates there is a sufficient number of UAVs available to form an ad-hoc mesh network in the first region, and the deployment strategy implements an ad-hoc mesh network.
6 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising determining, at the drone communications system, that the inventory data indicates there is an insufficient number of UAVs available to form an ad-hoc mesh network in the first region, and the deployment strategy implements an ad-hoc messenger network.
7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, at the drone communications system, near-real-time operational data from a cellular network service provider, and the deployment strategy is further based on the operational data.
8 . A method of creating a custom deployment strategy for one or more unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to form an ad-hoc network, the method comprising:
receiving, at a drone communications system, a first dataset including an environmental disaster forecast;
predicting, at the drone communications system and based on the first dataset, there is a high likelihood of an impending disaster event impacting the first region that will cause a network outage;
receiving, at the drone communications system, near-real-time operational data from a cellular network service provider for one or more cell towers in the first region;
receiving, at the drone communications system, inventory data from a UAV repository; and
creating, based on the operational data and the inventory data, a deployment strategy that identifies a configuration of the UAVs currently available in the UAV repository that can provide emergency communication services to either the greatest number of devices located in the first region or the largest area in the first region.
9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising generating, by the drone communications system and based on the operational data, a graphical heat map characterizing wireless network traffic for the first region, wherein the deployment strategy is based on the graphical heat map.
10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the configuration describes an arrangement of the UAVs to form either an ad-hoc mesh network or an ad-hoc messenger network.
11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising determining, at the drone communications system, that the inventory data indicates there is a sufficient number of UAVs available to form an ad-hoc mesh network in the first region, and the deployment strategy implements an ad-hoc mesh network.
12 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising determining, at the drone communications system, that the inventory data indicates there is an insufficient number of UAVs available to form an ad-hoc mesh network in the first region, and the deployment strategy implements an ad-hoc messenger network.
13 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising generating, by the drone communications system and in response to the prediction, instructions to conduct a network activity survey of the first region.
14 . A system for creating a custom deployment strategy for one or more unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to form an ad-hoc network, the system comprising a processor and machine-readable media including instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
generate, by a drone communications system and in response to a prediction that a network outage will occur in a first region, instructions to conduct a network activity survey of the first region;
deploy, via a UAV repository and in response to the instructions, a first UAV to perform a first flyover of the first region, the first UAV including onboard sensors that collect a first dataset describing one or more of cell tower locations, wireless access points, and wireless network usage patterns in the first region;
receive, at the drone communications system, the first dataset;
receive, at the drone communications system, inventory data from the UAV repository; and
create, based on the first dataset and the inventory data, a deployment strategy that identifies a configuration of the UAVs currently available in the UAV repository that can provide emergency communication services to either the greatest number of devices located in the first region or the largest area in the first region.
15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
receive, at the drone communications system, a second dataset including an environmental disaster forecast; and
predict, at the drone communications system and based on the second dataset, there is a high likelihood of an impending disaster event impacting the first region that will cause the network outage.
16 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to generate, by the drone communications system and based on the second dataset, a graphical heat map characterizing wireless network traffic for the first region, wherein the deployment strategy is based on the graphical heat map.
17 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the configuration describes an arrangement of the UAVs to form either an ad-hoc mesh network or an ad-hoc messenger network.
18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to determine, at the drone communications system, that the inventory data indicates there is a sufficient number of UAVs available to form an ad-hoc mesh network in the first region, and the deployment strategy implements an ad-hoc mesh network.
19 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to determine, at the drone communications system, that the inventory data indicates there is an insufficient number of UAVs available to form an ad-hoc mesh network in the first region, and the deployment strategy implements an ad-hoc messenger network.
20 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to receive, at the drone communications system, near-real-time operational data from a cellular network service provider, and the deployment strategy is further based on the operational data.