Abstract

Wireless sensor networks have become a rapidly growing research field in recent years. They are envisioned to have a wide range of applications in military, environmental and many other fields. We examine the performance of wireless sensor network applications to aeronautical telemetry. To date, test ranges have relied on a single telemetry ground station for the reception of packets from all air borne transmitters. We researched an alternate means of achieving this same goal with fewer resources. It is a well known fact that communication power and bandwidth are the most expensive commodities in wireless communications. The telemetry world is ever in need of ways and means to reduce power requirements of its networks while maximizing the use of available bandwidth. In our alternate method, packets will be reliably transported to a centrally located monitoring station in a series of hops. We will effectively reduce the power requirements of the network by minimizing the distance coverage of the sensor nodes. We will also explore different network topologies with a view to maximizing the use of available bandwidth. The alternate method will present a less expensive way to implement telemetry networks. Currently, telemetry networks make use of a single, huge and expensive base station receiving packets from all airplanes in test. Affordable sensor nodes placed strategically on the range and configured properly will achieve the same goal in a cost effective, power saving and bandwidth considerate manner.

Degree

College and Department

Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering and Technology; Electrical and Computer Engineering

Rights

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