Distributed Prescribed-Time Formation Tracking Control for Multi-UAV Systems with External Disturbances

In time-sensitive aerial missions such as urban surveillance, emergency response, and adversarial airspace operations, achieving rapid and reliable formation control of multi-UAV systems is crucial. This paper addresses the challenge of ensuring robust and efficient formation control under stringent...

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Main Authors: Ruichi Ren, Kaiyu Qin, Zhenbing Luo, Boxian Lin, Meng Li, Mengji Shi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Drones
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2504-446X/9/7/452
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author Ruichi Ren
Kaiyu Qin
Zhenbing Luo
Boxian Lin
Meng Li
Mengji Shi
author_facet Ruichi Ren
Kaiyu Qin
Zhenbing Luo
Boxian Lin
Meng Li
Mengji Shi
author_sort Ruichi Ren
collection DOAJ
description In time-sensitive aerial missions such as urban surveillance, emergency response, and adversarial airspace operations, achieving rapid and reliable formation control of multi-UAV systems is crucial. This paper addresses the challenge of ensuring robust and efficient formation control under stringent time constraints. The proposed singularity-free prescribed-time formation (PTF) control scheme guarantees task completion within a user-defined time, independent of initial conditions and control parameters. Unlike existing scaling-based prescribed-time methods plagued by unbounded gains and fixed-time strategies with non-tunable convergence bounds, the proposed scheme uses fixed-time stability theory and systematic parameter tuning to avoid singularity issues while ensuring robustness and predictable convergence. The method also accommodates directed communication topologies and unknown external disturbances, allowing follower UAVs to track a dynamic leader and maintain the desired geometric formation. Finally, some simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy, showcasing its superiority over existing methods and validating its potential for practical applications.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2504-446X
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher MDPI AG
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series Drones
spelling doaj-art-bbac68ac26c74beb8a9e482dd6b449572025-08-20T03:58:26ZengMDPI AGDrones2504-446X2025-06-019745210.3390/drones9070452Distributed Prescribed-Time Formation Tracking Control for Multi-UAV Systems with External DisturbancesRuichi Ren0Kaiyu Qin1Zhenbing Luo2Boxian Lin3Meng Li4Mengji Shi5School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, ChinaSchool of Aeronautics and Astronautics, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, ChinaCollege of Aerospace Science and Engineering, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073, ChinaSchool of Aeronautics and Astronautics, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, ChinaSchool of Aeronautics and Astronautics, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, ChinaSchool of Aeronautics and Astronautics, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, ChinaIn time-sensitive aerial missions such as urban surveillance, emergency response, and adversarial airspace operations, achieving rapid and reliable formation control of multi-UAV systems is crucial. This paper addresses the challenge of ensuring robust and efficient formation control under stringent time constraints. The proposed singularity-free prescribed-time formation (PTF) control scheme guarantees task completion within a user-defined time, independent of initial conditions and control parameters. Unlike existing scaling-based prescribed-time methods plagued by unbounded gains and fixed-time strategies with non-tunable convergence bounds, the proposed scheme uses fixed-time stability theory and systematic parameter tuning to avoid singularity issues while ensuring robustness and predictable convergence. The method also accommodates directed communication topologies and unknown external disturbances, allowing follower UAVs to track a dynamic leader and maintain the desired geometric formation. Finally, some simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy, showcasing its superiority over existing methods and validating its potential for practical applications.https://www.mdpi.com/2504-446X/9/7/452multi-UAV systemsformation trackingprescribed-time convergenceunknown disturbancesstability analysis
spellingShingle Ruichi Ren
Kaiyu Qin
Zhenbing Luo
Boxian Lin
Meng Li
Mengji Shi
Distributed Prescribed-Time Formation Tracking Control for Multi-UAV Systems with External Disturbances
Drones
multi-UAV systems
formation tracking
prescribed-time convergence
unknown disturbances
stability analysis
title Distributed Prescribed-Time Formation Tracking Control for Multi-UAV Systems with External Disturbances
title_full Distributed Prescribed-Time Formation Tracking Control for Multi-UAV Systems with External Disturbances
title_fullStr Distributed Prescribed-Time Formation Tracking Control for Multi-UAV Systems with External Disturbances
title_full_unstemmed Distributed Prescribed-Time Formation Tracking Control for Multi-UAV Systems with External Disturbances
title_short Distributed Prescribed-Time Formation Tracking Control for Multi-UAV Systems with External Disturbances
title_sort distributed prescribed time formation tracking control for multi uav systems with external disturbances
topic multi-UAV systems
formation tracking
prescribed-time convergence
unknown disturbances
stability analysis
url https://www.mdpi.com/2504-446X/9/7/452
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AT kaiyuqin distributedprescribedtimeformationtrackingcontrolformultiuavsystemswithexternaldisturbances
AT zhenbingluo distributedprescribedtimeformationtrackingcontrolformultiuavsystemswithexternaldisturbances
AT boxianlin distributedprescribedtimeformationtrackingcontrolformultiuavsystemswithexternaldisturbances
AT mengli distributedprescribedtimeformationtrackingcontrolformultiuavsystemswithexternaldisturbances
AT mengjishi distributedprescribedtimeformationtrackingcontrolformultiuavsystemswithexternaldisturbances