The Application of a Flexible Leader-Follower Control Algorithm to Different Mobile Autonomous Robots

Abstract

In a wide range of applications involving multiple mobile autonomous systems, maneuvering the robots, vehicles or vessels in some sort of formation is a vital component for the overall task performance. Maintaining a specific distance between the platforms or even a relative geometry may greatly enhance sensor performance, provide collision safety, ensure stable vehicle-to-vehicle communication, and is of critical importance when the systems are in some way physically connected. In this paper, we present a flexible leader-follower type formation control algorithm for autonomous robots which is very simple, generic, yet decent in performance. The method applies to any relative geometry between a leader and one or more followers. In addition to testing the algorithm in simulations for a wide range of scenarios, we have performed experiments involving several different autonomous systems, including small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) and Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs). This includes pairs of USVs physically interconnected by a tow.