Actor positioning based on molecular geometry in aerial sensor networks

Advances in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology and wireless sensor and actor networks (WSAN) made it possible to equip small UAVs with sensors and deploy aerial sensor and actor networks. Aerial sensor networks enable high quality observation of events while reducing the number of requirements. Positioning of UAVs with actor nodes is critical in these systems for effective data collection. In this paper we propose an actor positioning strategy for aerial WSANs considering the scenario of toxic plume observation after a volcanic eruption. The positioning algorithm utilizes the Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion (VSEPR) theory of chemistry, which is based on the correlation between molecular geometry and the number of atoms in a molecule. The limitations of the basic VSEPR theory are eliminated by extending the approach for multiple central data collectors. The simulations show that the proposed system provides high connectivity and coverage for the aerial sensor network.