Autonomous & Communication Infrastructure of UAV

1. Sensing Layer (Perception)

2. Computational Layer (The "Brains")

3. Actuation Layer (The "Muscles")

4. Software Stack

Proprioceptive Sensors (Internal State):

IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit): The inner ear of the drone. Contains accelerometers (linear acceleration) and gyroscopes (angular velocity) to determine attitude (pitch, roll, yaw).

Barometer: Measures air pressure to estimate altitude (Z-axis).

Magnetometer: Acts as a digital compass for heading (yaw reference).

Exteroceptive Sensors (Environmental Awareness):

GNSS/GPS: Provides global position (Lat, Long, Alt) and velocity.

LiDAR / Radar: Used for obstacle detection and mapping (SLAM). LiDAR uses light pulses; Radar uses radio waves (better in fog/dust).

Optical Flow / Cameras: Downward-facing cameras tracking texture on the ground to hold position without GPS (Visual Odometry).

Translates digital commands into physical movement.

ESC (Electronic Speed Controller): Converts PWM/DShot signals from the FC into 3-phase AC power to drive brushless motors.

Servos: Used in fixed-wing UAVs to move control surfaces (ailerons, elevators).

Firmware (RTOS): Runs on the Flight Controller (e.g., ArduPilot, PX4). Handles the control loops (PID).

Middleware: Facilitates communication between the FC and MC (e.g., ROS/ROS2 - Robot Operating System).

Application Layer: Path planning algorithms (A*), Computer Vision (Object detection), and Swarm logic.

The principal, and probably the most demanding, requirement for the communications system is to provide the data links (up and down) between the CS and the aircraft. The transmission medium is most usually at radio frequency, but possible alternatives may be by light in the form of a laser beam or via optical fibres.The "nervous system" connecting the UAV to the Ground Control Station (GCS), the Cloud, or other drones.

1. Data Link Classifications

2. Radio Frequency (RF) Technologies

3. Network Architectures

4. Communication Protocols

C2 Link (Command & Control): Low bandwidth, ultra-low latency, high reliability. Transmits pilot inputs and mission commands.

Telemetry Link: Downlink of vehicle health data (battery voltage, altitude, GPS satellite count).

Payload Link: High bandwidth. Transmits video feeds or sensor data (e.g., 4K video, thermal imaging).

Point-to-Point (P2P): Direct link between Drone and GCS. Simple but limited by Line of Sight (LOS).

Mesh Networking: Drones act as flying routers. If one loses connection to the ground, it relays data through neighbors. Vital for Swarm operations.

Cellular (4G/5G/LTE): Enables BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight). The drone connects to the internet; range is theoretically unlimited as long as cell towers are nearby.

SATCOM (Satellite): Uses Iridium/Inmarsat. Used for military or maritime drones where no terrestrial infrastructure exists.