V2X Communication between Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAVs) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)

Area of Science:

• * Robotics and Autonomous Systems
• * Communication Engineering
• * Network Security

Background:

• * Expanding vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication to include aerial vehicles enables coordinated missions.
• * Hardware implementation and testing of ground-to-air communication links are essential for practical applications.
• * Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) can leverage V2X for enhanced operational capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• * To present the V2X communication and coordinated mission of a CAV and UAV.
• * To evaluate four communication methods for establishing a robust ground-to-air link.
• * To demonstrate a real-life use case scenario for accident response and information dissemination.

Main Methods:

• * Implemented and tested four communication methods: Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC), User Datagram Protocol (UDP), WebSocket, and Transmission Control Protocol (TCP).
• * Utilized a CAV and UAV in a 'Quick Clear' demonstration scenario to simulate accident response.
• * Assessed communication performance through latency and packet drop rate analysis in stationary and dynamic flight tests.

Main Results:

• * UDP exhibited the lowest latency, indicating efficient data transfer speed.
• * DSRC demonstrated the best performance in terms of packet drop percentage.
• * The implemented communication structure proved satisfactory for real-life data transmission requirements.

Conclusions:

• * The tested communication framework is viable for real-world coordinated CAV and UAV missions.
• * DSRC and UDP offer reliable solutions for critical data exchange in ground-to-air scenarios.
• * Successful implementation of this communication structure enhances the potential for integrated autonomous systems.