Connectivity preservation control for multiple unmanned aerial vehicles under communication delays

Abstract Connectivity of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is crucial for distributed and coordinated control. However, due to limited communication ranges and inherent communication delays, traditional connectivity preservation methods often fail to ensure stable network connectivity in delay‐prone environments. To address this challenge, we propose a multiple UAVs connectivity preservation controller designed to operate effectively under communication delays. Leveraging distance‐based neighborhood graph modeling, our approach accurately represents communication relationships and network topology among UAVs, thus facilitating both connectivity analysis and controller design. A distributed controller, incorporating a bounded artificial potential function, is introduced and parameterized to mitigate the adverse effects of communication delays. To achieve high‐precision attitude control, we further integrate a sliding mode controller into the system. Numerical simulations demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method in preserving multiple UAVs connectivity under communication delay conditions.