Evolving behaviors for a swarm of unmanned air vehicles

http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/1501638/?arnumber=1501638&tag=1
Abstract:
We have previously reported on a project involving the control of a swarm of unmanned air vehicles
(UAVs) carrying out search or search-and-destroy missions. We developed and tested (in simulation) a
number of strategies for swarm control, and proposed systematic evaluation techniques and
performance metrics. In this paper we report some additional results in which we evolved some of the
swarm control parameters using a genetic algorithm (GA). While the improvements were modest, the
results show how evolutionary computing algorithms can be used to facilitate the design of swarm
control algorithms.

DIGITAL PHEROMONES FOR AUTONOMOUS COORDINATION OF SWARMING UAV'S

http://arc.aiaa.org/doi/pdf/10.2514/6.2002-3446
Abstract:
Modern UAVs reduce the threat to human operators, but do not decrease the manpower
requirements. Each aircraft requires a flight crew of one to three, so deploying large numbers of UAVs
requires committing and coordinating many human warfighters. Insects perform impressive feats of
coordination without direct inter-agent coordination, by sensing and depositing pheromones (chemical
scent markers) in the environment [14]. We have developed a novel technology for coordinating the
movements of multiple UAVs based on a computational analog of pheromone dynamics. The control
logic is simple enough that it can be executed autonomously by a UAV, enabling a single human to
monitor an entire swarm of UAVs. This paper describes the technology, its application to UAV
coordination, and the results we have obtained.
Conclusion:
Swarming techniques inspired by insect pheromones offer a powerful mechanism for coordinating
unmanned vehicles such as UAVs. These mechanisms can support diverse functions and information
sources. They distribute computation in a way that enables systems to scale well, and decentralize it,
reducing vulnerability to attack or system overload, and they adapt well to dynamic changes in the
environment. Experiments with these mechanisms show considerable promise, and encourage their
exploration in more sophisticated war-gaming environments.

Multiple UAV cooperative search under collision avoidance and limited

range communication constraints
http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/1272530/?arnumber=1272530&tag=1
Abstract:
This paper uses a team of unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) to cooperatively search, an area of interest that
contains regions of opportunity and regions of potential hazard. The objective of the UAV team is to visit

as many opportunities as possible, while avoiding as many hazards as possible. To enable cooperation,
the UAVs are constrained to stay within communication range of one another. Collision avoidance is also
required. Algorithms for team-optimal and individually-optimal/team-suboptimal solutions are
developed and their computational complexity compared. Simulation results demonstrating the
feasibility of the cooperative search algorithms are presented.
Conclusion:
The problem of cooperative search by a team of UAVs with collision-avoidance and communicationrange constraints has been considered. An algorithm for Ending team-optimal paths by considering
feasible paths for neighboring UAVs was developed. Two suboptimal, but computationally efcient
approaches were developed: the best leader and optimal best path cooperative search algorithms.
These algorithms were tested on an example cooperative search problems. Depending on the
characteristics of a search problem (such as the number of vehicles, the number of stages, and the
number of possible paths considered) and the computational resources available, these algorithms
provide a spectrum of solutions with potential for real-time implementation.

Coordinated Search with a Swarm of UAVs

http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/5172925/
Abstract:
Search is a fundamental task for wilderness search and rescue that can greatly benefit from the use of a
swarm of autonomous UAVs to survey the environment. The benefits are maximised if the UAVs
coordinate their search activities with one another. In this poster, we present our preliminary work on
developing coordination strategies for multiple UAVs. It is based on a distributed, grid-based
probabilistic environmental model. We discuss the practicalities of the search task, present a simplified
mathematical model of the environment and sensors, and present some preliminary simulation-based
results. These clearly illustrate, even in a highly simplified case, the great benefits of coordinated search.
Conclusion:
In this paper, preliminary results on how information on a target location can be maintained and
exchanged in a distributed manner between a swarm of heli-copters is presented. The update
mechanisms of grid-based probabilistic maps based on recursive bayesian processes is described. Author
also showed some observations obtained with our UAVs in outdoor environments with embedded
downward-facing cam-eras. The results of these observations will be used as inputs for the design and
tests of search strategies. Of interest is the assessment of the impact of the sensing resolution (with
UAVs deployed at different heights) on cooperation/coordination strategies.

Groups of unmanned vehicles: differential flatness, trajectory planning,

and control
http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/1014246/
Abstract:

This paper addresses the problem of trajectory planning and tracking control of groups of unmanned
vehicles. The trajectory planner is aimed at satisfying the dynamic equations and constraints. The
planner builds on two features of the group: (1) state equations for each member are differentially flat,
and (2) inequality constraints have special structures due to proximity constraints between members.
Under these assumptions, formations are made so that the dynamic equations and constraints are
satisfied. Illustrative simulations of groups of unmanned ground vehicles in formations are presented.
The results are also implemented on a laboratory facility with three unmanned ground vehicles.
Conclusion:
This paper has addressed the problem of trajectory planning and tracking control of groups of
unmanned ve-hicles. Our method utilizes the differential flatness of the vehicle dynamics and proper
formation constraints to achieve flatness of the entire group of vehicles. This enables one to plan
formation movements in terms of the flat outputs of the system and significantly reduce the
computational complexity of the planning problem. Changes in formation can be produced through
properly embedding the desired inter-vehicle dynamics within the formation constraints.
Implementation were successfully shown using model predictive control and linear quadratic tracking
with periodic recomputation of formation trajectories