Flying Ad-Hoc Network communication for detecting thermals: Feasibility and insights

Foot-launched gliders rely on thermal columns in order to stay in the air. Unfortunately, it can be a very difficult task for a pilot to find these invisible thermals as accurate off-line computation and prediction of air flows is nearly impossible. We therefore propose to wirelessly interconnect hang and paragliders to form a Flying Ad-Hoc Network (FANET). This network enables pilots to collect and exchange live air flow information based on measured vertical climbing rates. Furthermore, we also show how Search and Rescue (SAR) missions can benefit from this technology. In this paper we prove the feasibility of our approach by conducting extensive real life experiments using custom built low-cost hardware. We discuss simulation techniques to efficiently evaluate other FANET applications by modeling the physical channel with its specific characteristics. We identify open challenges and show possible ways to address them in order to deploy an innovative network that could permanently change the sport of gliding.