Distributed Formation Control of Mobile Agents via Global Orientation Estimation

This article proposes a distributed control approach via global orientation estimation for a range of coordination control tasks of multiple mobile agents. In particular, we first present a distributed orientation estimation protocol that determines the orientations of agents almost globally and exponentially up to an unknown constant orientation. Based on the orientation estimation, we then present distributed control laws for formation stabilization of and controlling the moving formations of holonomic double-integrator agents. Furthermore, a distributed control protocol is proposed and almost globally asymptotic convergence of the desired formation is established for nonholonomic mobile agents subject to velocity constraints. Finally, simulation results and experimental verification are also provided.