Optimization of Free Space Optical Communication Link based Drones for Search and Rescue Operations in the Arctic Region

The Arctic region is witnessing more frequent shipping accidents than ever which require accurate search and rescue operations.

The existing communication systems use drones with radio frequency (RF) technology, which has limited bandwidth and cannot offer 4G/5G connectivity due to harsh weather constraints. It further limits the capacity of drones and affects the resolution of images and videos.

The current research proposes to design free space optical communication (FSOC) link-based drones that can enhance connectivity between multiple drones and rescue ships as well as the capacity of drones to produce high resolution images and videos. The proposed FSOC-based drones can provide highspeed connectivity than the existing RF technology.

The research will collect atmospheric turbulences data from the Arctic region and use it for designing the FSOC link.

Furthermore, to enhance the capacity of FSOC-based drones, the research will design advanced multiplexing schemes (Mode Division Multiplexing and Orthogonal Code Division Multiple Access) and to ensure link stability, omnidirectional receiver will be designed.

The research will further evaluate the performance of proposed FSOC link under the impact of various atmospheric turbulences.

The expected outcomes of this research will lead to the optimisation of FSOC-based drones in expanding search areas and improving communication systems for SAR operations in the Arctic region.