A Distributed Self-Triggered Control Scheme for Multi-Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Containment Control Under Markov Switching Topologies and Channel Fading

This article addresses the containment control problem in multi-unmanned aerial vehicles (multi-UAVs) over communication networks subject to Markov switching topologies and channel fading. Firstly, a decoupling method is skillfully proposed to divide the closed-loop global containment error system into multiple local dynamics, simplifying the design of the distributed self-triggered scheme. Then, a mode-dependent distributed containment controller is designed, leveraging fading depths to mitigate the impact of channel fading. During the containment analysis, a self-triggered auxiliary condition is intelligently derived, forming the basis for the subsequent design of the self-triggered mechanism. Additionally, a novel distributed self-triggered mechanism is designed to significantly reduce the frequency of information exchange in the system while eliminating Zeno behavior. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed distributed self-triggered containment control is validated through a simulation example. <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">Note to Practitioners</i>—In a multi-UAV system, stable operation primarily depends on information transmission between UAVs. Network-induced constraints will severely undermine system stability and jeopardize coordinated control. Accordingly, studying effective solutions to address network-induced constraints in real-world systems is of practical importance. This paper investigates the containment control problem in a multi-UAV system affected by channel fading, random communication topologies, and self-triggered transmission. By incorporating fading depth in the communication channel, the proposed controller adapts to varying channel conditions, ensuring the UAVs maintain coordination even under poor communication conditions. Additionally, given that the communication topology between UAVs may change due to environmental factors in real-world applications, Markov random switching topologies can be used to model this phenomenon. Limited communication resources may lead to transmission delay or even network congestion due to the large amount of information exchanged between UAVs. Nevertheless, blindly increasing network bandwidth not only imposes high demands on sensors but also raises experimental costs. Therefore, reducing the frequency of information transmission is a commonly used approach. Unlike traditional event-triggered scheme, this paper proposes a distributed self-triggered scheme for addressing containment control problems in multi-UAV systems, eliminating the need for continuous event monitoring. From a practical application perspective, the distributed self-triggered approach does not require additional sensors for event monitoring, further reducing costs. Building on this work, future research should also address the formation control of multi-UAV systems, where multiple UAVs cooperate to form a specific formation through information exchange.