A Self-Synchronizing Time-Division Multiple-Access Network Protocol

Effective communication links in mobile collaborative autonomous systems enable enhancements of cooperative control algorithms such as those that dictate swarm performance and objectives. As individual nodes become smaller, the need for lightweight and low power communications is essential. In this paper, the authors describe the development of a novel approach to an efficient, self-organizing, low power, robust communication protocol that supports fully autonomous nodes without the need for a network controller. A self-synchronizing time-division multiple access (SSTDMA) network protocol was developed and tested using an adaptation of IEEE 802.15.4 radios that are commercially available, lightweight, and low power with a demonstrated line of sight range of over 3 km.