COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF CENTRALIZED AND DECENTRALIZED ALGORITHMS FOR THE MOVEMENT OF MULTICOPTER-TYPE UAVS

Abstract

The development of robotics makes their group application relevant for solving various
tasks. The effectiveness of performing the tasks of detecting and determining the coordinates of
objects by a group of robots significantly depends on the accuracy of maintaining a given formation.
In this regard, the task of determining motion planning algorithms that ensure the greatest
accuracy of maintaining a given formation is of practical interest. This article is devoted to the
study of the accuracy of maintaining the formation of a multicopter-type UAV group using a centralized
motion planning algorithm and a decentralized algorithm. The centralized algorithm uses
a master UAV, which transmits its coordinates to the slave UAVs. Based on the coordinates obtained
and the given framework of the formation, the guided UAVs plan their movement. In a decentralized
system, neighboring UAV groups transmit their coordinates to each other, on the basis
of which the movement of a separate UAV is planned. The accuracy of the control system is investigated
depending on the errors of the navigation system and the frequency of updating data on the
position of the leading or neighboring UAVs. It is assumed that the group's UAVs determine their coordinates in discrete moments of time using an external navigation system. Centralized and
decentralized algorithms are worked out by the same motion control system. The algorithms are
investigated in this article by numerical modeling methods. In the process of simulation, models of
kinematics, dynamics and actuators are taken into account, as well as models for the formation of
errors in the navigation system. It is shown that the de-centralized algorithm of group motion
planning provides higher accuracy compared to the centralized algorithm. However, the technical
implementation of a decentralized algorithm is more complicated from the point of view of organizing
a group communication system. In a centralized system, data transmission from the master
UAV to the slave should be implemented. In a decentralized system, it is required to implement
network communication.