Formation control of unmanned aerial vehicle swarms for outdoor monitoring in search and rescue tasks
https://doi.org/10.26907/2541-7746.2025.4.786-805
Abstract
Advancements in robotics have expanded a use of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) swarms in critical tasks such as disaster response, including search and rescue operations during floods, hurricanes, landsliding, and earthquakes. Swarm formation control stands as a critical challenge in UAV swarm control. In this article, a simple and resource-efficient method for addressing collisions within swarm formations during outdoor missions is proposed, along with a set of formations designed for various task requirements. The proposed algorithm is implemented using the Robot Operating System (ROS) for a swarm of ten PX4-LIRS UAVs. Experiments conducted in the Gazebo simulator demonstrated the algorithm’s effectiveness, with the quantitative results presented through mean and standard deviations of the absolute positioning error measurements.
Supporting agencies: This study was supported by the Kazan Federal University Strategic Academic Leadership Program (PRIORITY-2030).
About the Authors
O. V. Frolov
HSE University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Oleg V. Frolov, Undergraduate Student
R. N. Safin
Kazan Federal University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Ramil N. Safin, Senior Lecturer
T. G. Tsoy
Kazan Federal University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Tatyana G. Tsoy, PhD, Senior Lecturer
E. A. Martinez-Garcia
Universidad Aut´onoma de Ciudad Ju´arez
Mexico
Mexico
Edgar A. Martinez-Garcia, PhD, Professor
E. A. Magid
Kazan Federal University; HSE University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Evgeni A. Magid, PhD, Professor, Head of Intelligent Robotics Department
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For citations:
Frolov O.V., Safin R.N., Tsoy T.G., Martinez-Garcia E.A., Magid E.A. Formation control of unmanned aerial vehicle swarms for outdoor monitoring in search and rescue tasks. Uchenye Zapiski Kazanskogo Universiteta. Seriya Fiziko-Matematicheskie Nauki. 2025;167(4):786-805. https://doi.org/10.26907/2541-7746.2025.4.786-805
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