Second-Order Consensus in Heterogeneous Multi-Agent Systems by Distributed Sliding Mode Control

This paper investigates second-order consensus in heterogeneous multi-agent systems (HMASs) using a distributed sliding mode control (DSMC) strategy. The considered system operates with agents having diverse dynamic characteristics, including linear and nonlinear dynamics. A distributed control law is designed to ensure consensus among all agents, facilitating synchronization of their positions and velocities. The proposed control approach leverages sliding mode control to achieve finite-time convergence of consensus errors while ensuring robustness against system heterogeneity. Lyapunov-based stability analysis confirms the theoretical convergence of the system. Numerical simulations validate the effectiveness of the control scheme in achieving second-order consensus in heterogeneous agent networks.