Formation control with collision avoidance

We present a formation flight control strategy featuring a collision avoidance scheme. The control algorithm is based on a Sliding Mode controller. The controller sliding surfaces account for aircraft maneuvering limitations, restricting the required velocities to a feasible set. Further, the relative position between vehicles affects the sliding surfaces shape, enabling collision avoidance. The control method derivation is based on an extended unicycle model, resulting in a controller adequate for fixed wing aircraft.