Collision Avoidance for Multiple Unmanned Aerial Vehicles based on Geometric Configuration

Abstract

A guidance law based on geometric configuration is proposed for collision avoidance of multiple UAVs(Unmanned Aerial Vehicles). The proposed guidance law makes multiple UAVs avoid obstacles and provides a guideline for formation separation considering dynamic constraints of the UAV. Geometric guidance uses the information of line-of-sight vector and relative velocity vector, and therefore it can generate the real-time guidance command. Each UAV can decide which plane and direction is available for collision avoidance. Analysis on collision avoidance is performed to provide a criterion for an envelope for collision avoidance. Maximum angular rate limit of the UAV and the range of the recognition are considered in the analysis. Based on the analysis of an envelope for collision avoidance, each UAV in formation receives an information to determine formation preservation or formation separation to avoid obstacles. Recognition process is also introduced for obstacle recognition and situation assessment on whether or not the collision avoidance is completed. Lyapunov Theorem is used to prove the stability of the proposed guidance law. Numerical simulations are performed to demonstrate the performance of the proposed guidance law and formation and separation strategy.