UAVs’ Formation Keeping Control Based on Multi–Agent System Consensus

Abstract

In this paper, formation keeping control of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) based on multi-agent system consensus is studied. Firstly, a leader-following model based multiple unmanned aerial vehicles' (multi-UAVs') formation system is proposed. In which, every UAV has a heading keep autopilot as standard flight controller, and the heading control signal is transmitted by a nonlinear feedback controller with time delays. Secondly, some criteria of stability and Hopf bifurcation conditions for the equilibrium point of the leader UAV are established by using the Routh-Hurwitz criterion. Then, the consensus protocol is designed. A model prediction controller is introduced to make followers predict the leader's status and maintain a relative position in the formation, and eventually reach a consensus with the leader. Finally, some simulation examples are given to verify the correctness of the conclusions.

Keywords

• UAV formation
• time delay
• Hopf bifurcation
• multi???agent system
• eader-following consensus