2024/07/16 by Paul Kudyba, Kudyba, Paul, Jaya Sravani Mandapaka +21 · 1 citation
Engineering · #FOS: Computer and information sciences #Indoor and Outdoor Localization Technologies #Networking and Internet Architecture (cs.NI) #Robotics (cs.RO) #UAV Applications and Optimization #Underwater Vehicles and Communication Systems
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2407.12180
openalex publication_date 2024/07/16 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
As wireless researchers are tasked to enable wireless communication as infrastructure in more dynamic aerial settings, there is a growing need for large-scale experimental platforms that provide realistic, reproducible, and reliable experimental validation. To bridge the research-to-implementation gap, the Aerial Experimentation and Research Platform for Advanced Wireless (AERPAW) offers open-source tools, reference experiments, and hardware to facilitate and evaluate the development of wireless research in controlled digital twin environments and live testbed flights. The inaugural AERPAW Challenge, "Find a Rover," was issued to spark collaborative efforts and test the platform's capabilities. The task involved localizing a narrowband wireless signal, with teams given ten minutes to find the "rover" within a twenty-acre area. By engaging in this exercise, researchers can validate the platform's value as a tool for innovation in wireless communications research within aerial robotics. This paper recounts the methods and experiences of the top three teams in automating and rapidly locating a wireless signal by automating and controlling an aerial drone in a realistic testbed scenario.