Adaptive Factor Fuzzy Controller for Keeping Multi-UAV Formation While Avoiding Dynamic Obstacles

The development of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) formation systems has brought significant advantages across various fields. However, formation change and obstacle avoidance control have long been fundamental challenges in formation flight research, with the majority of studies concentrating primarily on quadrotor formations. This paper introduces a novel approach, proposing a new method for designing a formation adaptive factor fuzzy controller (AFFC) and an artificial potential field (APF) method based on an enhanced repulsive potential function. These methods aim to ensure the smooth completion of fixed-wing formation flight tasks in three-dimensional (3D) dynamic environments. Compared to the traditional fuzzy controller (FC), this approach introduces a fuzzy adaptive factor and establishes fuzzy rules to address parameter-tuning uncertainties. Simultaneously, improvements to the obstacle avoidance algorithm mitigate the issue of local optimal values. Finally, multiple simulation experiments were conducted. The findings show that the suggested method outperforms the proportional–integral–derivative (PID) control and fuzzy control methods in achieving formation transformation tasks, resolving formation obstacle avoidance challenges, enabling formation reconstruction, and enhancing formation safety and robustness.