Three-dimensional motion coordination in a time-invariant flowfield

Abstract

Abstract-Three-dimensional motion coordination in a flowfield has applications in environmental monitoring with autonomous vehicles. Motion-coordination algorithms designed using a flow-free motion model often fail to converge in even moderate flow speeds. We apply Lyapunov-based methods to design decentralized feedback laws for use in a threedimensional, time-invariant flowfield that does not exceed the speed of each platform relative to the flow. The control laws stabilize moving formations in a dynamic model of identical particles that travel at constant speed relative to the flow. Specifically, we provide theoretically justified algorithms to stabilize parallel, helical, and circular formations in a three dimensional flowfield. In ongoing work, we seek to extend the three-dimensional motion-coordination framework to address strong and time-varying flowfields that represent more realistic environmental dynamics in the atmosphere and ocean.

Cooperative Control Design for Time-Varying Formations of Multi-Agent Systems

“…These interesting results deal with time-invariant circular formations which have a fixed center and a constant radius. Some extensions based on these works have been developed: three-dimensional motion coordination in a flow-field [8] and stabilization of a fleet to fixed convex forms [9], for instance.…”

A Novel Composite-rotating Consensus for Multi-agent System

“…Motivated by the work of [1], Ren [3] et al provided the collective motions of a team of vehicles in 3D by introducing a rotation matrix. In [4], Sonia Hernandez et al studied decentralized controls to stabilize three-dimensional collective motion of autonomous vehicles and achieved parallel, helical, and circular formations. YANG et al studied distributed rotating consensus in networks of second-order multi-agent systems using only local position information in three-dimensional (3-D) space in [5].…”

Collaborative Estimation of Gradient Direction by a Formation of AUVs

“…Control laws have been provided to make a fleet of agents (vehicles) obtain circular and parallel formations [6,12]. Many extensions based on these works have been developed: three-dimensional formation control [13,14], planar circular formation control in a flow-field [15], and stabilization of a fleet to other closed forms [16,17].…”