Generalized Net Model of Forest Zone Monitoring by UAVs

The paper presents a generalized net (GN) model of the process of terrain observation with the help of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for the prevention and rapid detection of wildfires. Using a GN, the process of monitoring a zone (through a UAV, which is further called a reconnaissance drone) and the localization of forest fires is described. For a more indepth study of the terrain, the reconnaissance drone needs to coordinate with a second UAV, called a specialized drone, so that video and sensory information is provided to the supervising fire command operational center. The proposed GN model was developed to assist in the decision-making process related to the coordination of the operation of both UAVs under dynamically changing terrain circumstances, such as those related to preventing or quickly containing wildfires. It describes the stages (transitions), logical determinants (transition predicate matrices), and directions of information flow (token characteristics) within the process of localization of fires using the pair of reconnaissance and specialized drones.