Potential-based flocking in multi-agent systems with limited angular fields of view

In this paper, the flocking problem in a network of double-integrator agents with angularly limited fields of view (FOV) is investigated. The conic-shaped angular FOVs impose sensing limitations on every agent in the network. To increase the sensing capability of agents and preserve network connectivity, the FOV of every agent rotates with a sufficiently fast angular velocity. The problem is formulated in the framework of distributed switched nonlinear systems to address the switching topology of the network. Potential-based control inputs are subsequently designed as a combination of alignment and attractive/repulsive forces, such that the velocity vector of each agent exponentially reaches a certain neighborhood of a given desired velocity vector and the inter-agent collision is avoided. The efficacy of the proposed control strategy is confirmed by the simulation results.