Autonomous multi-vehicle formations using a pseuodospectral optimal control framework

Future civilian and military missions call for the autonomous coordination and control of unmanned vehicles. This paper presents the implementation of a pseudospectral (PS) optimal control-based algorithm for autonomous trajectory planning and control of multiple UGVs with real-time information updates. The mission of the UGVs is to maintain formation with respect to a lead vehicle traversing from a start point to a target point. Each vehicle must avoid static and dynamic obstacles including other vehicles. Real-time PS-controls accommodate unforseen events and changes in the environment that may take place over the course of the mission. Simulation results illustrate the performance of the algorithm for various multi-vehicle scenarios.