Use of High Mobility Nodes to Improve Connectivity in Wireless Sensor Networks

Remote sensing networks can be found in most diverse fields, ranging from physical security and access control monitoring to environmental applications. However, it can be a challenge to have timely access to sensing information when the sensing nodes are not continuously connected to a communication network. In present work, we develop a remote sensing application based on the paradigm of opportunistic networks, whereby a sensor node can explore “temporary connectivity windows” to transmit information that will eventually reach another network participant. We consider the use of special high mobility nodes, here called “messengers”, to improve the connectivity of such networks. The proposed application was implemented and built over a mesh network. A mobile messenger was implemented and deployed on a drone to achieve local connectivity in the network. A security layer was proposed to provide authentication and non-repudiation services, which are essential in remote sensing applications where the integrity of the sensing information is critical. Our results prove the viability of the proposed approach and show that the use of precisely planned mobile messenger routes can significantly improve network communication parameters.