NETWORKED DECENTRALIZED MPC FOR FORMATION CONTROL OF UNDERWATER GLIDER FLEETS

Exploration by means of unmanned multi-robot formations is gaining interests in different fields. In particular, the marine exploration by means of autonomous glider fleets allows to save money and to safely perform dangerous missions. The considered vehicles are highly nonlinear and the feasible control actions are constrained. A Networked Decentralized Model Predictive Control strategy is here considered for the formation control in the horizontal plane. Each control agent communicates with its leader in order to keep a desired formation. Some considerations on the stability of the global decentralized system are provided.