An output formation consensus control for leader–follower networked multi-agent systems under communication constraints and switching topologies

In this paper, the formation consensus problem for a class of leader–follower networked multi-agent systems under communication constraints and switching topologies is investigated. A networked predictive control scheme is proposed to achieve stability and output formation consensus with the switching topology, capable of compensating for data loss and time delays in the network. By equating the whole closed-loop networked multi-agent system with the proposed control scheme to the corresponding switched system, the sufficient and necessary condition of output formation consensus and stability for agents is given. Finally, using three-degree-of-freedom air-bearing spacecraft simulators as the control objects, the proposed scheme is demonstrated to be able to actively compensate for the communication constraints through numerical simulations, and it is also verified to have a good control performance by further realizing the formation task of the simulators through practical experiments.