Model predictive control of coordinated multi-vehicle formations

A generalized model predictive control (MPC) formulation is derived that extends the existing theory to a multi-vehicle formation stabilization problem. The vehicles are individually governed by nonlinear and constrained dynamics. The extension considers formation stabilization to a set of permissible equilibria, rather than a unique equilibrium. Simulations for three vehicle formations with input constrained dynamics on configuration space SE(2) are performed using a nonlinear trajectory generation (NTG) software package developed at Caltech. Preliminary results and an outline of future work for scaling/decentralizing the MPC approach and applying it to an emerging experimental testbed are given.