Rapid Deployment Wireless Text Messaging Network for Disaster Relief

Public communication infrastructures are vulnerable to catastrophic events and are often incapacitated when disaster hits. An airborne Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) with Global Special Mobile (GSM) Short Message Service (SMS) capability is proposed as a rapidly deployable emergency communication network (ECN) solution. A SMS-WSN ECN node prototype is developed and encapsulated in a weatherproof and airdrop capable shell. A cargo aircraft loaded with the ECN nodes can be quickly deployed to an affected area. Thousands of nodes can be distributed to form a complementary SMS network capable of relaying text messages among all GSM users. Test results verified the viability of relaying GSM text messages via WSN link, thus proved the concept of providing SMS among cellular users during disaster, to assist in saving human life.