Autonomous Drone Swarm “Like Bees”

A design and programming effort for an autonomous swarm of approximately 50 drones, with approaches to communication between neighbouring drones and to pathfinding for the group. It began in the student robotics team that I founded at the University of Nicosia.

Related NeoSwarm and Vector concepts apply the idea to autonomous logistics and to firefighting in Cyprus. The software side separates flight-critical real-time code from companion logic for missions, planning and perception.

Vector investor page

Category :Embedded Systems / Multi-Agent
Stack :Arduino, Python companion modules
Scale :Concept of about 50 drones
Focus :Communication and pathfinding
Applications :Autonomous logistics, firefighting
Status :Concept and documented architecture
Concept page :Vector investor page

Core Features

A swarm is a communication and software-architecture problem before it is a flying problem, so the project starts from the structure.

Mesh-style communication between neighbouring agents.
Pathfinding approaches for the whole group.
Arduino-based embedded control nodes.
Real-time autopilot code kept separate from the companion computer.
Companion modules for mission, planning, perception, communication and logging.
Message contracts shared between modules.

“Keep flight-critical logic and companion logic separate, and let message schemas be the contract between them.”

Design Note - Safety Boundary

Architecture

The software is split into two worlds. The real-time side holds flight-critical code or autopilot configuration and stays independent of the companion. The companion side is Python: a mission manager that issues commands and safety events, a planner that produces a path plan, and perception that produces an obstacle map. Shared message types connect them. Real hardware and simulation assumptions still have to be verified before deployment. The images on this page come from the Vector concept: the VTOL cargo drone, its blueprint, an urban delivery scene and a cargo flight over a highway. They are concept renders, not photographs of a built aircraft.