Coordination and navigation of heterogeneous MAV–UGV formations localized by a ‘hawk-eye’-like approach under a model predictive control scheme

An approach for coordination and control of 3D heterogeneous formations of unmanned aerial and ground vehicles under hawk-eye-like relative localization is presented in this paper. The core of the method lies in the use of visual top-view feedback from flying robots for the stabilization of the entire group in a leader–follower formation. We formulate a novel model predictive control-based methodology for guiding the formation. The method is employed to solve the trajectory planning and control of a virtual leader into a desired target region. In addition, the method is used for keeping the following vehicles in the desired shape of the group. The approach is designed to ensure direct visibility between aerial and ground vehicles, which is crucial for the formation stabilization using the hawk-eye-like approach. The presented system is verified in numerous experiments inspired by search-and-rescue applications, where the formation acts as a searching phalanx. In addition, stability and convergence analyses are provided to explicitly determine the limitations of the method in real-world applications.