Connectivity-Maintenance UAV Formation Control in Complex Environment

Abstract

Cooperative formation control is the research basis for various tasks in the multi-UAV network. However, in a complex environment with different interference sources and obstacles, it is difficult for multiple UAVs to maintain their connectivity while avoiding obstacles. In this paper, a Connectivity-Maintenance UAV Formation Control (CMUFC) algorithm is proposed to help multi-UAV networks maintain their communication connectivity by changing the formation topology adaptively under interference and reconstructing the broken communication topology of a multi-UAV network. Furthermore, through the speed-based artificial potential field (SAPF), this algorithm helps the multi-UAV formation to avoid various obstacles. Simulation results verify that the CMUFC algorithm is capable of forming, maintaining, and reconstructing multi-UAV formation in complex environments.