Research on the strategies for collision avoidance of multi‐UAV with three dimensional formation in combination of consensus algorithm and uniform flow

Abstract

The paper proposes the method of uniform flow loading the improved consensus algorithm to achieve obstacle avoidance for multi‐UAV with 3‐D formation. In view of that the flow function is generally only applicable to two dimensional flow field, dimension reduction is to treat multi‐UAV formation as each UAV flows around along the circular surface of the projected cylinder of spherical obstacle at its different heights. To formation guaranteeing the smooth realization of obstacle avoidance of multi‐UAV formation centered on the leader, it is used the tactics of virtually expanding the radius of these static or moving equivalent cylindrical obstacles to reserve a certain space. The innovation of this strategy is to further reduce the possibility of collision between UAV formation and the edge of obstacles, meanwhile the problem of multi‐UAV formation avoiding obstacles is transformed into the problem of collision avoidance navigation for the leader treated as a particle. It is considered collision avoidance for multi‐UAV formation under three scenarios assumed are the most common situations, and the simulation experimental results of these scenarios are demonstrated on the validity of the designed experiments based on these algorithms.