Fault-tolerant formation driving mechanism designed for heterogeneous MAVs-UGVs groups

A fault-tolerant method for stabilization and navigation of 3D heterogeneous formations is proposed in this paper. The presented Model Predictive Control (MPC) based approach enables to deploy compact formations of closely cooperating autonomous aerial and ground robots in surveillance scenarios without the necessity of a precise external localization. Instead, the proposed method relies on a top-view visual relative localization provided by the micro aerial vehicles flying above the ground robots and on a simple yet stable visual based navigation using images from an onboard monocular camera. The MPC based schema together with a fault detection and recovery mechanism provide a robust solution applicable in complex environments with static and dynamic obstacles. The core of the proposed leader-follower based formation driving method consists in a representation of the entire 3D formation as a convex hull projected along a desired path that has to be followed by the group. Such an approach provides non-collision solution and respects requirements of the direct visibility between the team members. The uninterrupted visibility is crucial for the employed top-view localization and therefore for the stabilization of the group. The proposed formation driving method and the fault recovery mechanisms are verified by simulations and hardware experiments presented in the paper

An Aerial Robotics Investigation into the Stability, Coordination, and Movement of Strategies for Directing Swarm and Formation of Autonomous MAVs and Diverse Groups of Driverless Vehicles (UGVs)

This study will discuss the matter of movement communication and preparation of tight configurations of land & flying robots. Remotely Operated Cars (UGVs) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), in specific Micro Aerial Vehicles (MAVs), would be used to fix circumstances where a creation of UGVs and UAVs, in specific Micro Aerial Vehicles (MAVs), should counteract their velocity and direction to finish a mission of traffic sequence to a targeted area. The motion planning and stabilisation strategy given here is a useful tool for deploying closely collaborating robot teams including both outdoor and indoor settings. The installation of large groups of Micro Aerial Vehicles (MAVs) in a legitimate (indoor and outdoor) environment without the use of auxiliary positioning applications (such as Vicon or GPS) is indeed a natural development in the area of autonomously flying systems. Stability, control, and trajectory planning techniques for guiding swarm or configurations of unmanned MAVs, as well as diverse groups with Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) operating alongside MAVs, will be discussed in greater detail. These approaches discussed all are designed for the use of inter squads in true complex scenarios even without necessity for worldwide translation or motion capture systems, as they are predicated on board optical comparative localisation of single MAVs. This multi - objective optimisation being an enabler for the introduction of swarming of tiny autonomous drones beyond the labs with equipment for precise robot positioning. Model Predictive Control (MPC) is being used to address a formations to goal territory issue, and the form drive idea is based on a simulated approach. The Particle swarm optimization approach is utilised for digital leader trajectories planning, as well as control and stabilisation of follows (MAVs and UGVs). The proposed technique could be tested in the future using a range of simulation and practical tests