Hybrid Flocking Control Algorithm for Fixed-Wing Aircraft

Abstract

This paper investigates the fixed-wing aircraft flocking problem with nonholonomic constraints, speed limits, conflict avoidance, and the efficient use of airspace taken into account. It is challenging to simultaneously address all of these issues with less restrictive requirements on the initial configuration of the aircraft, and yet, there are few theoretically rigorous works explicitly considering the fixed-wing aircraft flocking problem. Proposed here is a hybrid flocking control algorithm with three modes of decentralized flocking control protocol and a state-dependent switching logic. The three modes of control protocol are designed using artificial potential fields to address the collective flight behavior subject to the constraints of fixed-wing aircraft. The mode switching logic is designed based on the invariance principle, such that the desired convergence properties are guaranteed to be achieved. In addition, the proposed hybrid flocking control algorithm avoids undesirable fast mode switching.