College - Author 1
College of Engineering
Department - Author 1
Electrical Engineering Department
Degree Name - Author 1
BS in Electrical Engineering
College - Author 2
College of Engineering
Department - Author 2
Electrical Engineering Department
Degree - Author 2
BS in Electrical Engineering
Date
6-2025
Primary Advisor
Siavash Farzan, College of Engineering, Electrical Engineering Department
Abstract/Summary
In recent years, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have demonstrated significant potential for multi-agent coordination applications, yet reliable formation control algorithms remain challenging to implement in real-world environments. This report presents the design, simulation, and hardware implementation of four leader-follower formation control strategies for UAV swarms. The implemented algorithms include a semi-rigid PI controller based on forward and lateral distance error, a hybrid PID controller utilizing mixed error signals with velocity and position feedback, a simplified velocity-based PID controller operating on individual coordinate components, and a GPS offset controller with direct positional control. MATLAB simulation validated controller performance in four different formations, with the semi-rigid controller demonstrating optimal stability and steady-state error. Software in the loop (SITL) simulation was conducted in the Gazebo simulation engine. This validated controller behavior under realistic flight dynamics before hardware deployment. Hardware testing utilized three Holybro X500 V2 quadcopters. Mesh network communication enabled real-time telemetry exchange while RTK corrections ensured precise positioning during flight. Results demonstrate that the GPS offset controller is able to maintain formation integrity during hardware validation, verifying the possibility of utilizing leader-follower strategies for reliable real-world deployment. This work successfully bridges the gap between theoretical formation control and practical implementation, providing validated solutions that enable multi-agent UAV coordination.
Through progressive validation using MATLAB simulation, Gazebo software-in-the-loop testing, and real-world hardware experiments with three Holybro X500 V2 quadcopters equipped with RTK-GPS and mesh networking, stable linear formation flight was achieved with follower positioning accuracy of 1.4-1.9 m RMSE relative to a 0.9 m leader baseline. The GPS offset controller proved most effective for hardware deployment, successfully maintaining 5-meter formation spacing and demonstrating the feasibility of decentralized multi-agent coordination for practical UAV applications.
URL: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/eesp/693