Fractional-Order Event-Triggered Formation Control for Multi-UAV Systems with Collision Avoidance

This paper presents a novel approach for addressing fractional-order event-triggered formation control with collision avoidance in the context of leader-follower UAVs. In the proposed methodology, the Artificial Potential Field (APF) method is harnessed to formulate a fractional-order sliding model surface, which serves the primary purpose of collision avoidance. Subsequently, an event-triggered strategy is employed to facilitate distributed multi-UAV control, with a specific emphasis on preventing Zeno behavior. Notably, the utilization of a fractional-order trigger mechanism obviates the need for additional hardware circuits, thereby reducing control costs. Furthermore, the stability analysis of the proposed control protocol is rigorously established through the application of the Lyapunov function method. To substantiate the efficacy of the developed approach, comprehensive numerical simulations are conducted, demonstrating its effectiveness in achieving the desired formation control objectives while ensuring collision avoidance in the context of leader-follower UAVs.