Quadrotor Formation Strategies Based on Distributed Consensus and Model Predictive Controls

Abstract

In this study, the distributed consensus control and model predictive control (MPC)-based formation strategies for quadrotors are proposed. First, the formation-control problem is decoupled into horizontal and vertical motions. The distributed consensus control and MPC-based formation strategy are implemented in the follower’s horizontal formation control. In the horizontal motion, the leader tracks the given waypoints by simply using the MPC, and generates the desired formation trajectory for each follower based on its flight information, predicted trajectory, and the given formation pattern. On the other hand, the followers carry out the formation flight based on the proposed horizontal formation strategy and the desired formation trajectories generated by the leader. In the vertical motion, formation control is carried out using only the MPC for both the leader and the follower. Likewise, the leader tracks the desired altitude/climb rate and generates the desired formation trajectories for the followers, and the followers track the desired formation trajectories generated by the leader using the MPC. The optimization problem considered in the MPC differs for the horizontal and vertical motions. The problem is formulated as a quadratic programming (QP) problem for the horizontal motion, and as a linear quadratic tracker (LQT) for the vertical motion. Simulation of a comprehensive maneuver was carried out under a Matlab/Simulink environment to examine the performance of the proposed formation strategies.

On the Design of Outdoor Leader-Follower UAV-Formation Controllers From a Practical Point of View

“…The concepts of the leader-follower approach are often used in other training structures, such as the indication of a leader in a virtual structure or an agent who dictates the meeting point in a consensus approach, for instance [8,[17][18][19]. Besides, in certain cases, L-F strategy allows a follower to become a leader of another agent in a chain-like formation, i.e., a cascade L-F approach.…”

“…In [19] simulations illustrate a L-F formation following a given set of waypoints. In such a case, the formation-control problem is decoupled into horizontal and vertical motions, and a model predictive control generates the reference for the leader UAV, while the follower one uses its flight information to predicted the path and achieve the formation pattern.…”

Leader–follower formation control of two quadrotor UAVs

“…There were many studies related to the coordination between drones in L-F formation. For instance, the implementation of various communication topologies to facilitate the distributed formation control [7,8], the consensus of motion using the feedback formation control [6] and the model predictive control [3].…”

Dynamic Event-Triggered Time-Varying Formation Control of Second-Order Dynamic Agents: Application to Multiple Quadcopters Systems

“…In recent years, the formation control problem of MASs, whose purpose is to steer multiple objects in a network to achieve and maintain their predefined geometric pattern in their states, has increasingly fascinated the scientific community. Because of many versatile and helpful applications in real life, there have been several fruitful results in studies focusing on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), ground mobile robots, autonomous underwater vehicles, and multisensor networks [5][6][7][8]. Based on the types of sensed and controlled variables of the probed systems in MASs, an excellent survey paper with the topics of the formation problem categorized as position-based, displacement-based, and distance-based control is [9] (and see the references therein).…”