Continuum Deformation of a Multiple Quadcopter Payload Delivery Team without Inter-Agent Communication

TL;DR

This paper introduces a continuum deformation strategy for coordinating multiple quadcopters carrying a payload, enabling them to follow desired trajectories without inter-agent communication, using LQG controllers to handle disturbances.

Contribution

It presents a novel continuum deformation approach for multi-quadcopter coordination that eliminates the need for inter-agent communication during motion.

Findings

Successful simulation of payload transport through narrow channels.

Effective trajectory tracking with LQG controllers under noise and disturbances.

Coordination achieved solely through leader position updates.

Abstract

This paper proposes continuum deformation as a strategy for controlling the collective motion of a multiple quadcopter system (MQS) carrying a common payload. Continuum deformation allows expansion and contraction of inter-agent distances in a 2D motion plane to follow desired motions of three team leaders. The remaining quadcopter followers establish the desired continuum deformation only by knowing leaders positions at desired sample time waypoints without the need for inter-agent communication over the intermediate intervals. Each quadcopter applies a linear-quadratic-Gaussian (LQG) controller to track the desired trajectory given by the continuum deformation in the presence of disturbance and measurement noise. Results of simulated cooperative aerial payload transport in the presence of uncertainty illustrate the application of continuum deformation for coordinated transport through a narrow channel.