Work

Safe Swarm Navigation in Constrained Environments: A Dynamic Tube-Based Distributed MPC Approach

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Navigating large-scale Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) swarms through restricted airspaces requires a delicate balance between rigorous safety guarantees and high mission throughput. To address the limitations of rigid tube structures and over-constrained optimization problems, we present a Dynamic Tube-based Distributed Model Predictive Control (DMPC) approach. Unlike traditional methods, our framework introduces an elastic tube reconstruction mechanism that adaptively shifts boundaries to accommodate dynamic obstacles while maintaining a connected navigable tube. By integrating a predictive risk-triggered constraint activation policy, the proposed controller avoids the curse of over-conservativeness, ensuring recursive feasibility in high-density scenarios. Quantitative results indicate that our method reduces redundant computations while maximizing workspace utilization, providing a scalable solution for future Urban Air Mobility infrastructures (UAM).

Source: Drones

DOI: 10.3390/drones10030177

Authors: Xunhua Dai, Yuting Liao, Yong Chen

Institution: Central South University

Language: English

Topic: Advanced Control Systems Optimization

Subfield: Control and Systems Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Industry, innovation and infrastructure, Sustainable cities and communities

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,137