LQR distributed cooperative control of a formation of low-speed experimental UAVs

Ivana Tomic, Efstathios Milonidis, George D. Halikias
2016 2016 UKACC 11th International Conference on Control (CONTROL)  
This is the accepted version of the paper. This version of the publication may differ from the final published version. Permanent repository link: https://openaccess.city.ac.uk/id/eprint/16893/ Link to published version: http://dx.Abstract-The paper presents a cooperative scheme for controlling arbitrary formations of low speed experimental UAVs based on a distributed LQR design methodology. Each UAV acts as an independent agent in the formation and its dynamics are described by a 6-DOF
more » ... of freedom) nonlinear model. This is linearized for control design purposes around an operating point corresponding to straight flight conditions and simulated only for longitudinal motion. It is shown that the proposed controller stabilizes the overall formation and can control effectively the nonlinear multi-agent system. Also, it is shown via numerous simulations that the system provides reference tracking and that is robust to environmental disturbances such as nonuniform wind gusts acting on a formation of four UAVs and to the loss of communication between two neighbouring UAVs.
doi:10.1109/control.2016.7737541 fatcat:rtimcl64mnertnfsoziflwihze