Real-time Multimedia Communications in Highly Mobile Networks.

"Improved networking capabilities for unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) will be a compelling necessity for a wide range of 21st century applications, both military and commercial. To make these applications successful, two main technical challenges must beaddressed: (1) dynamic, highly mobile network technologies to provide reliable, time-critical exchange of the network's media, and (2) information management and control system technologies to enable the networked UAVs to function as an integrated systemto accomplish designated military or commercial missions. Rigorous solutions in these areas would provide the technological foundation for Intelligent Networks. The objective of this project is to assist the Office of Naval Research in making significantforward strides in these technology areas by conducting a Phase I feasibility and tradeoff study to research and then recommend optimal solutions for state-of-the-art dynamic, mobile network technologies. This effort will involve exploring a wide range ofadvanced decision support systems (along with their application methodologies) and offering recommendations on an optimal solution to provide information management and control systems for the dynamic network. The research and recommendations provided bythis study will provide the foundation for a follow-on Phase II proposal. Dynamic, highly-mobile UAV networks combined with effective, efficient, and responsive decision support systems providing a variable degree of autonomous control for a wide range ofmission functions will enable commanders to leverage the synergistic benefits achievable by a combination of sensors, communications nodes, and weapon systems deployable by a network of UAVs, minimizing threats to manned tactical, reconnaissance,surveillance, or transport aircraft. The technical capabilities identified in this proposal will also significantly enhance and directly address established requirements of U.S. Special Operations forces - specifically, operational requirements now extantfor reconnaissance, surveillance, and other supp