Cooperative adaptive output regulation for a class of nonlinear uncertain multi-agent systems with unknown leader

Abstract In this paper, we study the cooperative global adaptive output regulation problem for a class of nonlinear uncertain multi-agent systems subject to an uncertain leader system. In comparison with the case where the leader system is known exactly, we need to combine adaptive control and robust control techniques to deal with the unknown parameters in the leader system. By employing a distributed internal model for the multi-agent system, we first convert the problem into a global adaptive robust stabilization problem of a distributed augmented system. Then we further solve the global adaptive stabilization problem of the augmented system by a distributed adaptive control law. Finally, we show that the unknown parameters in the leader system can be exactly estimated provided that the distributed internal model is of minimal order.