• collision avoidance
• formation
• leader follower
• Linear Time Varying
• Model Predictive Controller
• MPC LTV
• UAV

The focus of present work is the development of a formation control algorithm for small RUAV (rotary-wing unmanned aerial vehicle).
We considered a leader-follower hierarchical structure, where one of the vehicles flies independently and the others try to acquire and hold a required position in the formation, ensuring at each time a relative safety distance.
The aim has been achieved through a distributed MPC-LTV (Model Predictive Control) where the followers are able to plan autonomously there control action, on the basis of the information exchanged between UAVs.
The uncommon choice of Model Predictive Control has proved successful for its ability to obtain control action by a cyclic optimization process, performed along a finite time horizon.
In the optimization process we explicitly considered the future dynamics of the RUAV and a complementary set of constraints for the problem, where the main point is represented by the requirement of collision avoidance.
Some simulations were conducted to verify the effectiveness of the developed strategy, paying particular attention on situations that may be critical for collisions.