A multivariable adaptive formation control for multiple UAVs with external uncertain disturbances

PurposeA multivariable model reference adaptive control method is proposed to solve a distributed leader-follower formation control problem of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with uncertain parameters and unknown external disturbances for both leader and followers.Design/methodology/approachA case of uncertain stochastic external disturbances for UAVs is considered, and based on the distributed communication network of UAVs, a state-feedback adaptive controller is proposed to maintain the formation of UAVs consistently. Then, the stability and asymptotic tracking performance of the UAV formation control system are analyzed by the Lyapunov function.FindingsThe simulation results demonstrate that this formation control scheme can effectively solve the stochastic external disturbance problem of UAVs and ensure the stability of their formation.Originality/valueThe proposed multivariable model reference adaptive control method reduces the error of formation control system and improves the stability and control performance of UAV compared with fixed control.