Networking of multi-robot systems: issues and requirements

The advancement of multi-robot systems (MRS), wireless sensor networks (WSNs) and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have led to their increasing use for large-scale monitoring. The research in this area has focused on developing advanced sensing and networking protocols, as well as specialised system topologies and embedded computer and communication platforms. This has resulted in a need for multidisciplinary projects to develop appropriate algorithms for data processing, communication, and control across diverse fields. The primary focus of this article is the collaborative features of MRS. It briefly overviews recent advancements in this vital domain, with a comparative focus on numerous recent theoretical and practical contributions. The article also identifies and discusses focus areas, such as a classification of MRS systems and the issues and requirements of MRS networking protocols. Additionally, references to applications in various domains, including the environment, agriculture, emergency scenarios, and border patrol, are highlighted. Finally, an integrated system model based on WSNs and UAVs is presented, along with an optimality study.