• KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
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• v.6 no.10
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• pp.2529-2547
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• 2012

In this paper, we use a quadrotor-based mobile sink to gather sensor data from the terrestrial deployed wireless sensor network. By analyzing the flight features of the mobile sink node, we theoretically study the flight constraints of height, velocity, and trajectory of the mobile sink node so as to communicate with the terrestrial wireless sensor network. Moreover, we analyze the data amount which the mobile sink can send when it satisfies these flight constraints. Based on these analysis results, we propose a data acquisition approach for the mobile sink node, which is discussed detailed in terms of network performance such as the transmission delay, packet loss rate, sojourning time and mobile trajectory when given the flying speed and height of the mobile sink node. Extensive simulation results validate the efficiency of the proposed scheme.