Drone Swarm Control

Swarm communication options for DroneBridge for ESP32

DroneBridge for ESP32 supports two radio transport options for swarm deployments. Both are fully encrypted using AES-256-GCM, but they are optimised for different operational trade-offs.

Choose the transport based on your environment and scaling needs:

• Use WiFi infrastructure if you want higher throughput and already have access points available.

• Use ESP-NOW if you need a self-contained setup with longer range and no external infrastructure.

WiFi Infrastructure Mode

This option runs over standard WiFi access points, including modern WiFi 6 hardware. No proprietary radio hardware is required.

It is well suited for structured environments where infrastructure is already in place or can be deployed at low cost. The higher throughput makes it a practical choice for larger telemetry loads and for testing autonomy algorithms where data rate matters.

Characteristics

Parameter	Typical value
Infrastructure	Off-the-shelf access points
Range	Up to about 200 m
Throughput	High
Link saturation	Later onset

ESP-NOW Mode

ESP-NOW is a connectionless protocol that runs directly between ESP32 modules. No access point is required.

This makes it a strong option for outdoor or infrastructure-free deployments. The trade-off is lower data throughput and earlier link saturation as the swarm grows.

Characteristics

Parameter	Typical value
Infrastructure	ESP32 modules only
Range	Up to about 1 km
Throughput	Lower
Link saturation	Earlier onset

Security and Shared Settings

For ESP-NOW swarm operation:

• All nodes must use the same password because it is used as the shared key.

• All nodes must use the same radio channel.

Which Mode Should You Choose?

• Choose WiFi infrastructure mode for test environments, labs, and deployments where access points are easy to provide.

• Choose ESP-NOW for field use, longer range, and setups where you want to avoid extra infrastructure.

• If you expect many nodes or higher telemetry volume, WiFi infrastructure mode is usually the better starting point.

• If simplicity of deployment in open outdoor areas matters most, ESP-NOW is usually the better fit since no dedicated access point is required. In general the WiFi based setup is easier, more robust and offers the highest data rates and capacity.