Navigation of Multiple UAVs in 3D Obstacle Environments While Preserving Connectivity Without Data Transmission

Abstract

This paper presents a leader-follower navigation method for a group of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in 3D obstacle environments based on our previous method for ground robots in 2D environments. An advantage of our method is that the group’s formation shape can be changed in a decentralized way so as to prevent the robots from getting stuck in narrow spaces, while preserving sensing network connectivity without data transmission between robots through a wireless communication network. Another advantage is that inequality constraints on control inputs can be explicitly considered. The effectiveness of the proposed method is evaluated in simulations and experiments using quadrotors.