Collision-Free Multi-Agent Coverage Control for Non-Cooperating Swarms: Preliminary Results

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel method enabling multiple independent UAV swarms to cover a shared area efficiently while avoiding collisions, addressing the challenge of non-cooperative multi-swarm coordination without intra-swarm collaboration.

Contribution

It proposes an algorithm that combines Voronoi-based coverage with reciprocal collision avoidance for multiple non-cooperating swarms, a novel approach in multi-swarm coverage control.

Findings

Algorithm achieves maximum coverage without intra-swarm collisions.

Simulation results validate collision-free multi-swarm coverage.

Method extends existing collision avoidance to multi-swarm scenarios.

Abstract

The main contribution of this paper is a methodology for multiple non-cooperating swarms of unmanned aerial vehicles to independently cover a common area. In contrast to previous research on coverage control involving more than one swarm, this paper does not assume cooperation between distinct groups but considers them as entirely independent units following their own objectives. Using Voronoi tesselation, collision-free motion of agents within the same swarm has been proved before. However, as is shown in Example 1 of this paper, in the case of multiple swarms with inter-swarm but without intra-swarm collaboration, these guarantees do not hold. We address this issue by proposing an algorithm to achieve maximum coverage with multiple swarms while avoiding collisions between agents. Thus, the Optimal Reciprocal Collision Avoidance method used for safe navigation in multi-agent scenarios is adapted to suit the needs of Voronoi-based coverage control with more than one swarm. The functionality of the proposed technique is validated through Monte Carlo simulations.