Formation Optimization for Multiple UAVs by Considering Constrained Effectiveness and Attitude Coupling Tracking

Multiple unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) cooperative operations have been proposed as a relatively new concept for improving the combat capability of a single UAV, and formation control is the focus and core technology of multi-UAV cooperative operations. However, the existing control methods rarely focus on the optimization of UAV formation based on constrained effectiveness, and faster tracking performance is required in formation control. Therefore, this study presents a 6 degrees-of-freedom UAV formation control architecture that integrates trajectory planning and attitude control by considering the constrained effectiveness of optimal formation and coupling effect. To achieve formation selection and geometry parameter optimization in a battlefield environment, a formation-constrained effectiveness model based on battlefield effectiveness was proposed, and the formation was optimized using the simulated annealing particle swarm optimization (SAPSO) method. To verify the accuracy and effectiveness of formation optimization and control, five UAV formation flight scenarios based on combat effectiveness formation were designed. Numerical simulation results show that the proposed optimization algorithm can maximizes battlefield effectiveness based on the formation-constrained effectiveness model; the proposed trajectory planning accurately tracked the relative position commands with a fast response time and short rising time; the proposed coupling effect–involved attitude control method was compared with the conventional attitude control method to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed method; and the controller considering coupling had a faster trajectory response in the coupling effect zone. These results suggest that the proposed approach has a better tracking performance and demonstrates high efficiency and accuracy in UAV formation control.