Distributed integral control of multiple UAVs: precise flocking and navigation

Abstract

Our interest in this work is to perform a precise real-time flocking of multiple UAVs. A consensus-based flocking algorithm that ensures a precise security distance between UAVs is proposed. By using Lyapunov theoretical analysis, we propose a flocking algorithm that ensures the ultimate boundedness of multiple-UAV system solutions. Moreover, this algorithm is enhanced by a distributed integral control that renders the inter-distances between UAVs more precise. Finally, experimental results are provided to prove and show the efficiency of these algorithms.

Consensus-based formation control and obstacle avoidance for nonholonomic multi-robot system

“…Despite that, little to no researches have emphasized on validating proposed control laws in actual experiments. In [8], the authors introduced a PID-like decentralized consensus for the double integrator system, which was validated on drones. There are also studies on formation control based on flocking algorithm ( [17] and [18]).…”

“…The authors of [8] have proposed a PID-like decentralized control of flocking for a double integrator system whose dynamics are defined as following:…”

“…where v i and u i are the velocity and control input vector, respectively. In [8], control is based on the custom σ-norm which maps R n → R + as:…”

“…The contributions of this paper are threefold. Firstly, we adapt existing consensus algorithm in [8], which was for double integrator model, to single integrator consensus system. Secondly, we enhance the obstacle avoidance for flocking from [9] such that each robot takes into account its neighbors' obstacles as well, which is suitable for preserving formation.…”

“…The mathematical and theoretical foundations for experimental work of this paper are based on graph [23] and consensus [24] theory. We focus on the flocking control and the obstacle avoidance algorithm for multi-robot system proposed by [8] and [9], respectively.…”