Implementation of a Distributed Flocking Algorithm with Obstacle Avoidance Capability for UAV Swarming

An implementation of a distributed flocking algorithm with obstacle avoidance capability for a swarm of UAVs is presented. Aim of the algorithm is to produce the accelerations to guide the flock in reaching its destination while avoiding obstacles and each other. The distributed nature of the algorithm consists in the capability of each component of the swarm to calculate its own acceleration while having only partial measurements, such as position and velocity, of only neighbouring vehicles. A limitation related to the strong assumptions that have to be made about the obstacles shape has been individuated in literature. The root cause has been identified and a possible solution has been investigated to overcome the restriction.