Coordinated control of multiple UAVs for time-critical applications

The paper proposes a solution to the problem of coordinated control of multiple unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) to ensure collision-free maneuvers under strict spatial and temporal constraints. The solution proposed relies on the decoupling of space and time in the problem formulation. First, a set of feasible trajectories are generated for all UAVs using a new direct method of optimal control that takes into account rules for collision avoidance. A byproduct of this step yields for each vehicle a spatial path to be followed, together with a desired nominal speed profile along that path. Each vehicle is then asked to execute a pure path following maneuver in three-dimensional space by resorting to a novel 3D algorithm that enforces temporal constraints aimed at coordinating the fleet of vehicles. Simulations illustrate the potential of the methodology developed