<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>One of the issues related to formation flights, which requires to be still discussed, is the stability of formation flight in turns, where the aerodynamic conditions can be substantially different for outer vehicles due to varying bank angles. Therefore, this paper proposes a decentralized control algorithm based on a leader as the reference point for followers, i.e. other UAVs and two flocking behaviors responsible for local position control, i.e. cohesion and repulsion. But opposite to other research in this area, the structure of the formation becomes flexible (structure is being reshaped and bent according to actual turn radius of the leader. During turns the structure is bent basing on concentred circles with different radiuses corresponding to relative locations of vehicles in the structure. Simultaneously, UAVs' air-speeds must be modified according to the length of turn radius to achieve the stability of the structure. The effectiveness of the algorithm is verified by the results of simulated flights of five UAVs.</p></abstract>

One of the issues related to formation flights, which requires to be still discussed, is the stability of formation flight in turns, where the aerodynamic conditions can be substantially different for outer vehicles due to varying bank angles. Therefore, this paper proposes a decentralized control algorithm based on a leader as the reference point for followers, i.e. other UAVs and two flocking behaviors responsible for local position control, i.e. cohesion and repulsion. But opposite to other research in this area, the structure of the formation becomes flexible (structure is being reshaped and bent according to actual turn radius of the leader. During turns the structure is bent basing on concentred circles with different radiuses corresponding to relative locations of vehicles in the structure. Simultaneously, UAVs' air-speeds must be modified according to the length of turn radius to achieve the stability of the structure. The effectiveness of the algorithm is verified by the results of simulated flights of five UAVs.

Flexible Structure Control Scheme of a UAVs Formation to Improve the Formation Stability During Maneuvers

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Automatics and Robotics

Acta Mechanica et Automatica

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

One of the issues related to formation flights, which requires to be still discussed, is the stability of formation flight in turns, where the aerodynamic...

Flexible Structure Control Scheme of a UAVs Formation to Improve the Formation Stability During Maneuvers

Publié en ligne: 07 oct. 2017

Pages: 178 - 185

Reçu: 10 oct. 2016

Accepté: 07 août 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/ama-2017-0026

Mots clés
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, UAVs Formation, Rigid Formations, Flexible Formations

© 2017 Cezary Kownacki et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Flexible Structure Control Scheme of a UAVs Formation to Improve the Formation Stability During Maneuvers

Publié en ligne: 07 oct. 2017

Pages: 178 - 185

Reçu: 10 oct. 2016

Accepté: 07 août 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/ama-2017-0026

Mots clésUnmanned Aerial Vehicles, UAVs Formation, Rigid Formations, Flexible Formations

© 2017 Cezary Kownacki et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Mots clés
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, UAVs Formation, Rigid Formations, Flexible Formations