Controlling Four Agent Formations

Abstract

This paper considers formation shape control of a team of four point agents, for the most part in the plane. Control laws based on specified interagent distances are used. For a complete graph, specification of all interagent distances determines the formation shape uniquely. Krick, Broucke and Francis showed that for a now almost standard control law, there may exist equilibrium formation shapes with incorrect interagent distances. This paper studies such equilibria, shows that in some cases they are necessarily unstable. Show more