Target Enclosing Control for Nonholonomic Multi-Agent Systems with Connectivity Maintenance and Collision Avoidance

Abstract: This article addresses the moving target enclosing control problem for nonholonomic multi-agent systems with guaranteed network connectivity and collision avoidance. We propose a novel control scheme to handle distance constraints imposed by the agents' limited interaction ranges and collision-free thresholds. By leveraging a Henneberg construction method, we innovatively formulate the target enclosing requirements within an isostatic distance-based formation framework, facilitating the integration of distance constraints. Compared with existing results, our approach ensures the positive definiteness of the underlying rigidity matrix and does not require controlling the target's motion. To eliminate the occurrences of control singularities caused by nonholonomic constraints, we propose a fixed-time angular control law using barrier Lyapunov functions. Additionally, we develop a linear velocity control law using the prescribed performance control approach and transformed error constraints. We rigorously prove that our control laws enable the multi-agent system to asymptotically achieve the desired angular formation pattern around a moving target while satisfying the established distance constraints. Finally, a simulation example is provided to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method.