Formation Configuration Design for Target Tracking in Multi-Unmanned Aircraft System

In this paper, a formation configuration design strategy for target tracking is proposed in a multi-unmanned aircraft system. The proposed strategy aims to enhance the system detection and tracking capabilities by optimizing the initial formation configuration and route planning of the unmanned aircraft, taking into account the constraints on the inter-aircraft distance, deployment zone and maneuverability limitations. The metric of the system detection capability is derived based on the detection area. The predictive Bayesian Cramér–Rao lower bound (BCRLB) is introduced to evaluate the target tracking accuracy. By combining the detection area and BCRLB, we develop a weight function to evaluate the system performance. On this basis, a two-phase optimization model is established for formation configuration and route planning. Then, interior point method is adopted to address this model. Numerical findings indicate that the suggested configuration design strategy performs better in detection and tracking by contrast with other conventional configurations.