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Trophallaxis network control approach to formation flight of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles

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Abstract

A novel network control method based on trophallaxis mechanism is applied to the formation flight problem for multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Firstly, the multiple UAVs formation flight system based on trophallaxis network control is given. Then, the model of leader-follower formation flight with a virtual leader based on trophallaxis network control is presented, and the influence of time delays on the network performance is analyzed. A particle swarm optimization (PSO)-based formation controller is proposed for solving the leader-follower formation flight system. The proposed method is applied to five UAVs for achieving a ‘V’ formation, and a series of experimental results show its feasibility and validity. The proposed control algorithm is also a promising control strategy for formation flight of multiple unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), missiles and satellites.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Science and Technology on Aircraft Control Laboratory, School of Automation Science and Electrical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China

    HaiBin Duan, QiNan Luo & YaXiang Yu

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  1. HaiBin Duan
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  2. QiNan Luo
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  3. YaXiang Yu
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Correspondence to HaiBin Duan.

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Duan, H., Luo, Q. & Yu, Y. Trophallaxis network control approach to formation flight of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles. Sci. China Technol. Sci. 56, 1066–1074 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-013-5199-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-013-5199-0

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