Reaching Resilient Leader-Follower Consensus in Time-Varying Networks via Multi-Hop Relays

TL;DR

This paper develops distributed algorithms for resilient leader-follower consensus in time-varying multi-agent networks using multi-hop relays, improving robustness and relaxing graph conditions compared to existing methods.

Contribution

It introduces multi-hop relay-based algorithms for resilient consensus, with tighter graph conditions and applicability to agents with first- and second-order dynamics.

Findings

Algorithms successfully achieve resilient consensus in simulations.

Multi-hop relays improve robustness without increasing communication links.

Tighter graph conditions are established for algorithm success.

Abstract

We study resilient leader-follower consensus of multi-agent systems (MASs) in the presence of adversarial agents, where agents' communication is modeled by time-varying topologies. The objective is to develop distributed algorithms for the nonfaulty/normal followers to track an arbitrary reference value propagated by a set of leaders while they are in interaction with the unknown adversarial agents. Our approaches are based on the weighted mean subsequence reduced (W-MSR) algorithms with agents being capable to communicate with multi-hop neighbors. Our algorithms can handle agents possessing first-order and second-order dynamics. Moreover, we characterize necessary and sufficient graph conditions for our algorithms to succeed by the novel notion of jointly robust following graphs. Our graph condition is tighter than the sufficient conditions in the literature when agents use only one-hop communication (without relays). Using multi-hop relays, we can enhance robustness of leader-follower networks without increasing communication links and obtain further relaxed graph requirements for our algorithms to succeed. Numerical examples are given to verify the efficacy of our algorithms.