Abstract
This research is focused on the use of swarm logic (SL) in civilian and military unmanned and autonomous systems. A brief history with the discussion of current advances and technologies is presented. This paper focuses on civilian systems, communication aspects, and required infrastructure; military uses are also explored. The advantages for civilian systems are highlighted while also pointing out their limited utility in the urban environment. They are at their highest value when utilized during an emergency or natural disaster to assist first responders and rescue personnel. The communication protocols and infrastructure appear to be the weakest point in the system. Therefore, more research is required into safeguarding this vital link for the swarm to operate effectively. The use of wireless technology and blockchain software is investigated. Military applications, although not specific, are also investigated as the armed forces seem to be able to get the most utility out of SL. Implementing this technology will most likely result in a new arms race centered on autonomous systems and countermeasures.
Keywords: unmanned systems, swarm logic, communication, blockchain, force multiplication, natural disaster
Investigating Potential Uses of Swarm Logic in Civilian and Military Unmanned Systems
Significance of the Study
The miniaturization of electronics with the concurrent advances of computing power has led to unmanned systems with artificial intelligence capabilities. The algorithms allow the machines to act independently from operator input while acting collectively to accomplish the desired goal. SL, based initially on insects’ behavior, is not limited to one particular vehicle type in the realm of unmanned systems but instead can be adapted for any environment. Air, land, and sea-based operations can benefit from this special autonomy in civilian and military applications.
SL may not be suitable for every situation, but it has the advantage where large amounts of manpower may be required or where time is of the essence. It is advantageous in disaster response situations where the ability to survey large areas is limited because of damaged infrastructure. This research will highlight examples of research related to SL, including functional prototypes and near operational systems. It will also include research from other areas with communication protocols that will enhance the security of the systems. New uses will also be recommended since the technology that allows this type of machine logic to be integrated into unmanned platforms has become cost-effective for private companies and militaries to field.
Statement of Problem
This research will investigate the current state of SL used with unmanned systems with civilian and military applications. It will explore the different operating environments for the systems and attempt to clarify their uses. The use of SL is still a burgeoning field; there are still potential applications that have not been explored yet with current hardware and algorithms. Identifying new uses for this technology will benefit unmanned vehicle research to increase their usefulness.
Research Question
What is the current state of swarm logic used in unmanned systems, and what are they used for currently? In addition, what new uses can be developed for this type of machine logic when combined with unmanned systems?
Limitations
The limitations are due to the nature of the research; the use of SL is still in the developmental stages when compared to advances in unmanned systems. The research is highly specialized, and advances made by government-sponsored research may not be released at this time. Many of the concepts are still in the developmental stage, and the hardware is constantly being refined. Advances in computing power have shrunk the circuitry. Some of the more advanced concepts are only conducted under laboratory conditions and use interconnected systems that remotely monitor and control the units. A majority of the available research focuses on algorithms and control mechanisms and is primarily conceptual.
Delimitations
This study’s delimitations are that because SL is a developing concept in unmanned systems, there is new research being published constantly. The experiments are current and use recent technology to demonstrate the feasibility of using the machines in this manner. As the technology used has become more cost-effective, it has allowed small-scale research to be conducted, which has resulted in an expansion of the available knowledge to the unmanned systems industry. Some of the published work may not be related to unmanned systems, but it could enhance the systems already in use.
Assumptions
A majority of the research into SL has occurred within the last five years. This allows the information to be relatively recent and the technologies used within the last generation, highlighting proven uses with off-the-shelf hardware. The larger military projects and specialized systems, such as autonomous underwater vehicles, will require special hardware not available to the average researcher because of the operating environment. A majority of the research has been done under controlled conditions, as few live systems are currently in operation.
Literature Review
The literature review is concentrated upon the uses of SL. Both military and civilian applications are explored. It encompasses all three terrestrial operating environments; the exploration of outer space and the solar system was excluded. They are still in the early developmental stages and are cost-prohibitive because of the cost to access space. This literature review will highlight the usefulness of drone swarms under certain conditions.
A Brief History
Swarming is a behavior that has worked for insects and other animals to overwhelm their prey; ancient armies have also utilized it to the same effect (Sanders, 2017). Although unmanned systems have been around and are entering the maturation stage in terms of utility, using the swarms is a relatively new concept that has been enabled because of the decreasing cost of hardware coupled with increasing computational power. Swarms of unmanned platforms can act as force multipliers in both military and civilian settings, increasing the likelihood of success by sheer numbers (Sanders, 2017). Their ability to use this concept is not hindered by the vehicle as it is based upon machine logic, which can be adapted for any operating environment.
The algorithms that allow drone swarms to operate cooperatively were developed as a personal research project in 2013. Multi-Agent Cooperative Engagement software resulted in a spinoff from a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) small business innovation resource contract (NASA, 2020). As this technology is relatively new, the potential uses are still being investigated. Both commercial and military uses are under constant development. One such case is the repurposing of software used for the Mars rovers and modified for use in autonomous surface vehicles (ASV) to protect naval vessels when anchored (Wolf, 2017).
Much of the earlier work into swarming logic was based upon fuzzy logic and was limited by the computing power available at the time (Cui, 2004). Rather than acting autonomously, the units within the swarm acted as an individual node in a network. Relatively advanced when this research was conducted, it has since been eclipsed by more capable neural networks on single-card computers, allowing for autonomous behavior by each vehicle in the swarm. This shows that the early concepts were there but were limited by the technology of the time.
Civilian Research
Much of the civilian research focuses on aspects such as uses for this type of formation. For example, firefighting, disaster response, surveillance, package delivery, and communication protocols to secure the system against outside influence. More uses are being experimented with constantly. There are some limitations; to be helpful in firefighting will require different platforms for monitoring and extinguishing (Roldán-Gómez, 2021). Remote areas will also require the installation infrastructure to accommodate the units; docking stations may need to be installed in fire towers and communication equipment, and solar panels to recharge the batteries. It can be accomplished, but the systems will require maintenance, for which the cost of such an endeavor may outweigh the benefits.
Where SL is advantageous are situations when a large amount of manpower may be required, such as search and rescue operations (Sulak, 2017). Once the local area of concern has been defined, the units can be released to conduct a rapid survey looking for anomalies that indicate areas of interest. The algorithms have been refined to the point that the units are almost entirely autonomous and cooperative with the other vehicles in the swarm, preventing duplication of already searched areas (Andrade, 2019)
In cases of an industrial disaster, such as a radioactive material spill or leak, airborne drone swarms comprised of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) can help pinpoint the source to minimize exposure to the cleanup crew and aid in the recovery efforts (Royo, 2018). The units must have a high degree of autonomy for them to be an advantage, and this is where the neural networks and advanced algorithms come into play. Even the smaller UAS can operate autonomously because of the rapid advances that have been made. The algorithms and communications protocols, including edge computing and the internet of things, have allowed the rapid development of drone swarms (Chen, 2020).
Swarm Communications
For SL to be practical, there must be robust intraswarm communication protocols that allow the rapid dissemination of information while also rejecting outside interference. This can be accomplished by using established infrastructure such as cellular communication towers and the use of edge computing (Shi, 2016). It will be beneficial only in areas that have established infrastructure, such as an urban area. It would allow the release of a drone swarm within a city to perform surveillance of a particular area while being controlled from a central hub. With an industrial disaster such as a refinery explosion, they could be dispatched to arrive before the first responders to give vital situational awareness on their way to the scene, allowing the swarm to survey the scene for poisonous fumes, survivors, and potential hot spots while reporting the information back to the first responders en-route. In cases such as a natural disaster, for example an earthquake, much of the critical infrastructure will be damaged or inoperative. It will require the swarm to act as its own local area network with command and control accomplished through secure mobile channels provided by emergency vehicles (Kurt, 2021). The key to swarm communication, command, and control appears to be redundancy with sufficient bandwidth to keep the units updated.
The advantages of SL cannot be realized unless the communications between the flock and ground control station (GCS) are secure. A system such as identification friend or foe (IFF) may be feasible on the larger military-based vehicles, but the smaller systems will require software-based solutions. In those cases, either encryption or the blockchain will be a solution. With blockchain technology, commands from unknown sources are ignored as they are not in the blockchain (Kumari, 2020). The blockchain allows the system to communicate over open channels, and the nature of the blockchain prevents spoofing. Only those blocks that are inserted in the chain will be recognized and authenticated; they can neither be removed nor altered once in place (Bera, 2020). This system will require a GCS for remote locations or have an edge computing system for urban areas that may have the infrastructure available.
The antenna design will be critical for terrestrial and surface-based applications; multiple input and multiple-output (MIMO) systems will be required for swarms to communicate. The 5G cellular system can reduce interference, and the signal is highly localized as an added layer of protection (Chandhar, 2018). Underwater communications are much more complicated due to the noisy nature of the ocean and the specialized equipment required, underwater drone swarms still have not been fully realized, but there is promising research. The research focuses on using a beacon installed on a lead unit that controls navigation and path planning for the swarm reducing the amount of equipment for successful operation (Fischell, 2020). Until low-cost and efficient communication methods are developed for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV), subsurface drone swarms will most likely be relegated to research projects or military applications.
Military Applications
The military can benefit the most from SL as it acts as a rapid force multiplier without the need for additional personnel, albeit for a limited time. The use of this technology allows the military to overwhelming the opposing force. It can be used in both offensive and defensive postures, allowing its use on any theater. Drone swarms can be launched to counter an incoming missile, particularly ballistic trajectories; research has been implemented to use radar tracking to direct the swarm to interfere with the terminal targeting of warheads by positioning the flock directly in its path (Szarka, 2020). This is a new take on an old technology of flak used to protect vulnerable installations from aerial bombardment.
Unmanned ground vehicles (UGV) can benefit from SL in the use of urban warfare while searching out enemy forces in cities (Aaron Teow, 2018). The vehicles can scout ahead in multiple directions until contact is made with the opposing force and then call in the rest of the UGV that are armed to assist the manned units in dealing with them. The nature of the theater will require different vehicle configurations from small units based upon commercial vehicle chassis similar to an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) to modified heavily armed combat platforms such as armored personnel carriers. These units could also be used to secure remote bases in hostile areas, autonomously patrolling a designated area until signs of trouble activate a response from nearby units to overwhelm attackers or hold them back until the ground forces can respond with sufficient manpower.
Using the swarm to act as a force multiplier is beneficial for the initial confrontation. Still, it can also help with occupying an area to prevent insurgent activity within a secure perimeter or prevent infiltration from outside forces (Stolfi, 2021). Researchers are experimenting with a predator/prey response for restricted areas to either keep people within or exclude them from an area. The use of multiple cooperative platforms with a rapid response will secure an occupied zone and expand the ability to patrol and maintain security without increasing manpower significantly.
UAVs have advanced to the point where they can now use them in conjunction with manned aircraft. Currently under development are aerial refueling UAVs for the U.S. Navy that are launched and recovered aboard a carrier. But their main advantage is to increase airpower without the need for additional pilots. A single pilot in a fifth-generation fighter can control their own wing of autonomous fighter drones; this will change the fighting strategy of the armed forces from primarily manned to unmanned prominence (DeVore, 2020).
In addition to being a force multiplier, SL offers the military a compelling psychological aspect against an opposing force that also acts as a deterrent (Zegart, 2020). The ability to quickly overwhelm an opponent in any theater will assist the military in its ability to coerce their opponents into taking risks they would not ordinarily pursue or even reduce the conflict entirely by the rapidity at which they accumulate losses. Reduced costs have increased their proliferation, thus providing even small countries the ability to achieve parity with a much larger force that may not have the same level of technology or the ability to field drone swarms (Zegart, 2020). SL has the potential of becoming the great equalizer for asymmetrical warfare with militaries both small and large.
Summary
The literature review provided a broad overview of some of the potential uses of SL and the requirements for effective communications between the units. Much like any tool, their use must be primarily limited to what they were designed for. For example, there is a marked difference between civilian and military applications. For civilian uses, disaster response, search and rescue, security, surveillance, surveying, agriculture, and so forth can benefit from SL. Their use can decrease response time and increase the likelihood of success. Still, they cannot operate independently, and the infrastructure must either be in place or have the ability to use portable and temporary systems to allow their use. There must be a high degree of autonomy in these systems while allowing for ease of use by the human operators.
Military uses for SL are beginning to emerge as the de facto force multiplier because of the low cost and the ability to modify existing equipment with the machine logic. They can use them in every theater and role; the only limitation is how much the respective governments are willing to invest in such technology. For example, underwater operations could be technology prohibitive for smaller states which would cause them to focus on surface operations such as anti-submarine patrols, harbor and coastal patrol. As the hardware becomes more advanced, smaller, and more power-efficient, the algorithms that control the behavior will allow a higher degree of autonomy with minimal human intervention. The benefits of civilian and military operations have not been fully realized at this time, but their use must enhance the abilities of the human operators, not replace them.
Methodology
Research Design
The design of this research was focused on a search of scientific journals, military papers, and NASA technical reports related to the subject of SL in unmanned systems. Since this is a relatively new concept in unmanned systems, experiments are constantly conducted to push the limits of the machine logic when new hardware is released (Chen, 2020). Essentially, the question is, what is the current state of research and proven concepts related to the use of SL in military and civilian applications.
The nature of the research involves multiple disciplines. Algorithm and hardware development is found in computer science-related journals, whereas the vehicles themselves are specific to the task. The use of SL is researched in military papers and scientific journals, although their deployment follows different paths. The civilian research focuses on developing algorithms, communication, and deployment such as disaster response, firefighting, search, and rescue, where response time is critical, and manpower is short (Andrade, 2019). Communication protocols are one of the primary concerns for this research as the information required for intraswarm cooperation must be constantly updated but also secure (Kumari, 2020).
Military research is also concerned with algorithm development, but their use is mainly for offensive capabilities concerned with target identification, area denial, and force multiplication (DeVore, 2020). A majority of the research was concerned with the potential uses of SL and what research is currently being conducted as the military needs are vastly different from those of commercial and civilian uses. The hardware used by the military tends to focus on the adaption of current technologies to modify vehicles instead of developing new ones (Wolf, 2017).
Because of the different uses and development paths, the research was divided into three categories. The first being civilian uses and under what circumstances are they be deployed as their use differs substantially from military needs. The second section involves the communication protocols that allow the units to communicate with each other to accomplish the assigned task. The final category is potential military uses for this emerging technology. Due to the short and rapid development cycles, the civilian uses were limited to those that are the most utilitarian, such as disaster response and other uses that can be the most beneficial to society. The military has larger budgets, and their development cycles are slower, as they prefer to get the most life out of their investments. Their research is focused upon augmenting their capabilities, the projects are more extensive, and only those with the highest likelihood of being implemented are included.
This research is focused on the current state of the art concerning SL and its potential uses. Because of the different uses of the technology there are marked differences in how it is used. The differences between civilian and military uses are at both ends of the spectrum. For example, most of the civilian uses are primarily concerned with disaster response/recovery and decreasing the time it takes for help to arrive (Andrade, 2019). This is where the research tends to be concentrated as there is few uses for this technology in commercial endeavors except for surveying large swaths of land or crop monitoring. The use of swarms is not just relegated to air units but also utilized for ground and waterborne issues (Stolfi, 2021). The units can vary in size but also must have the necessary equipment and logic to complete their assigned task. The most important aspect of those units proposed for civilian uses is that there must be the infrastructure for command and control in place, although they may be highly autonomous, the units must be able to communicate with the human operators (Chandhar, 2018).
Intraswarm communications and their protocols are essential to the proper operation of the swarm as the logic of each individual unit must be able to coordinate with the others. This prevents the duplication of work and allows for a high degree of accuracy to prevent collision. Research into effective swarm communications is ongoing with the focus on ether security of the signals or the infrastructure required to enable them to operate (Bera, 2020). This is interesting because where they will excel, such as in a disaster, much of the required infrastructure will be inoperative requiring the use of stand-alone facilities that act as nodes for the command and control of the units (Kurt, 2021). This limits their range and will require transportation to the affected area, portability will be of utmost importance during these types of operations. Because disaster response will most likely be carried out by government agencies, they can afford to have this mobile infrastructure as part of the response plans. The communication, command, and control appear to be one of the most critical aspects for an effective swarm.
Notwithstanding the civilian uses, the military are focused on using SL as a force multiplier in both offensive and defensive roles (Sanders, 2017). They can range from surveillance, area denial, countermeasures, and enhancing the capabilities of current forces. The research varies by the theater of operations, for example waterborne units can be used to protect ships at anchor while the airborne units increase air power substantially without the added man power (Wolf, 2017). With the exception of a few platforms, mainly aviation, most of the efforts are directed toward modifying existing vehicles with the machine logic instead of developing new ones.
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Conclusion
Civilian Uses
The use of civilian and commercial drone swarms is somewhat limited, but they do have the potential to enhance the operators’ capabilities significantly. The main benefits of their implementation are that it reduces response time when manpower is short in time-critical applications. Emergency response is the primary beneficiary of this technology; equipped with sensors and cameras, they can give advanced information to the first responders. This is critical during an industrial disaster, mainly dealing with hazardous materials. Waterborne firefighting boats can be adapted to use swarm technology; they can get closer to harbor fires than manned units while having a smaller vessel size with similar capabilities.
One of the more significant commercial and civilian technology issues related to SL is the short development cycles. Most of the current research is focused on algorithms. The hardware is typically off the shelf and subject to constant refinement. Focusing on the algorithms advances the decision-making capabilities. The programming language is the key, and although different platforms exist, it will be beneficial to develop a standard much like the robot operating system (ROS). Algorithms could be quickly compiled for even complicated tasks. This would make the units utilitarian in nature and reduce the need for specialized platforms.
One of the weaknesses of the civilian platforms is the need for established and functioning infrastructure. Since most of the swarms will most likely be controlled from a single source, they must take advantage of edge computing or form their own local area networks. In a natural disaster, these systems will most likely be inoperative, requiring self-contained infrastructure and communication facilities. The swarm is helpful, but only with the required infrastructure. Standalone systems are inherently more complicated, but they have a higher degree of mobility and can be transported to the area of concern as a single system.
Communication
Currently, commercial and civilian swarm projects typically use wireless internet systems for command and control. It is inexpensive and readily available in a variety of configurations with standardized protocols. This also means that the signals are easy to disrupt and can be subject to interference. Using standard equipment will require encryption that is lightweight so it does not slow down the flow of information or use the blockchain so that only those units identified in the blockchain will be seen as valid. For civilian uses of swarms, this will require a registration period upon startup and configuring the operator’s protocols. It must be as seamless and easy as possible as the operator will most likely not be a subject matter expert in these areas.
Swarm communication is perhaps the most critical aspect of its operation and must be treated as such. The swarm cannot cooperate if the logic aboard each unit does not know what the others are doing. The onboard equipment must also have the bandwidth to accomplish these goals, or the information for intraswarm messages must be as short as possible. There is no standard protocol except for the equipment used because it is off the shelf. The Wi-Fi signals are also short-range, so multiple communication methods need to be employed for swarm management.
Military Uses
The military has embarked upon a different path for drone swarms. They are concerned with force multiplication, area denial, and defense. This is where the swam can become most valuable. The armed forces are concerned with the rapidly developing threats as the technology becomes more cost-effective and accessible to smaller governments. They present a tactical advantage that was not previously available to small belligerent countries or non-state actors. They have a cost advantage over larger, more complicated weapon systems. In addition, the logic can be added to existing vehicles with minor modifications. They can have dual roles, both offensive and defensive. They can be used in any environment except for undersea operations because of the communications issues required for cooperation between the units.
The aspect of force multiplication decreases the response time while rapidly providing a defense that can reach parity with the attacking forces. The use of drone swarms can supplement existing forces when resources are already stretched because of multiple missions. The amount of research is increasing but slower than commercial units since the military typically requires stability in a weapons platform to get the greatest return on investment. Of interest is the paths these systems are taking. They are funding commercial research with defense contractors, and they tend to focus on countering other emerging technologies and protecting significant assets. There appears to be an arms race; due to the proliferation of these cost-effective technologies, new uses are being developed and countered, similar to the cold war of the second half of the 20th century. In future conflicts between organized militaries, unmanned systems will play a significant role in the deployed assets. SL will be a critical component of these systems and part of the strategy used in their deployment. The key will be to adapt the strategies to enhance the military capabilities instead of relying entirely upon them as they cannot replace the manpower or experience of the fighting forces. Their deployment will be slower than civilian uses as they must be integrated into the current military with established procedures for their use.
Recommendations
It is hard to predict the commercial applications as the logic and endurance of the vehicles improve, but research could focus on a couple of critical areas for civilian uses. Being emergency response and agriculture Emergency response should focus on increasing information available to first responders to get more accurate information to deal with the scene. This will require either university or government-sponsored research in a private/public partnership. The technology and software should be open source to encourage experimentation and investment. Agriculture could be improved through the use of crop monitoring and pest control. Using a swarm of ground and air units to patrol the fields would decrease the amount of labor required by the farm personnel.
Improving the algorithms increases the autonomy of swarm systems. Research into using more commercially available technology such as single card computers that contain neural networks should be investigated for their adaptability in these vehicles. This will require concurrent research into the communications protocols to ensure they are compatible with the current technology. Blockchain may be a viable security system, but excessively long segments could slow down the processing of the instructions and other information required for operation. Truncating the blockchain for identification purposes only will limit its length and create a secure method of verifying valid members of the swarm. Command, control, and communication are as important as the hardware itself; disruptions will cause the swarm to be ineffective. Research should focus on improving the security of the communications while also preventing interference. This may require adopting a new standard other than off the shelf technology that is in current use today with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth hardware, but this is unlikely for commercial units as most of the predominant research uses these same components for cost-effectiveness,
The military should increase the speed of development and deployment of SL, as the pace at which advances are made can render current technology obsolete. The focus should be on systems that can integrate into current equipment. Instead of an aircraft carrier, a smaller drone carrier could enhance the carrier group’s defensive capabilities by adding an extra layer of missile defense. The problems arise because of the different branches of the armed forces and their missions. The equipment should be developed to allow cooperation between the forces and integration into their respective strategies. It should not be a new paradigm but rather an enhancement of fighting capabilities. Research also needs to be conducted to effectively repel a swarm attack as its purpose is to overwhelm. Countermeasures need to be developed and tested concurrently with swarm tactics and equipment. Expect the use of unmanned system swarms to increase in the military because of their cost advantage over conventional forces. Still, the next arms race will be that of the unmanned systems type, with research heavily centered around artificial intelligence and swarm algorithms.
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Appendix A
LIST OF ACRONYMS
ASV Autonomous Surface Vehicle
AUV Autonomous Underwater Vehicle
GCS Ground Control Station
SL Swarm Logic
SUAS Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems
UAS Unmanned Aircraft Systems
UGV Unmanned Ground Vehicle
Patrick Carroll 